It Still Hurts
by CandC1988
Summary: Zack tells Maddie how she feels ... and she turns him down, what happens when they meet again?
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own The Suite Life of Zach and Cody or any of its characters.

Author's Note: So, I am writing a Suite Life fic because I absolutely love the Suite Life and this will totally be a Zach/Maddie and Cody/London story. However, it will take place a while in the future.

Prologue

The day of my high school graduation was a day I could never forget. The day was supposed to be all about me and my twin brother, Cody. Of course, it was more about Cody than me anyways because he was going to be valedictorian and then go off to Yale, while I was graduating at the top of the bottom third of our class and was lucky to get into the local community college.

But, I decided a couple days before graduation I was going to make my night all about Maddie. Maddie, who had graduated three years ago, was going to Sarah Lawrence and was coming on one of her rare visits to see Cody and I graduate. Anyways, I decided that would be when I told Maddie how I really felt about her.

So, I began to ask people for some advice, and not a single one of them was very helpful. Cody asked me if I remembered all the times I hit on her when we were younger, which of course I did. I told him that I felt differently now, was more mature, and really did care for her. My mom told me not to get my hopes up, because Maddie was three years older than me, and that makes a big difference. My response to that was that it didn't make as a big of a difference now that I was almost a high school graduate. My dad just kind of looked away and mumbled something about other fish in the sea, to which I protested that I did not want other girls, I wanted Maddie. Mr. Moseby was the least helpful, telling me that Maddie was way too smart for me. I did not have a reply for this, because she really was too smart for me. The most encouraging, but still not helpful, was London, who told me the whole thing was adorable.

But, I decided to trek on anyways, I was so sure that she would return my feelings, no matter what everybody else thought. So, the day of graduation came and I knew that she was coming to see mostly me, whereas everybody else was worrying over Cody.

"Hey Zach, you ready for this night?" Maddie asked gently as she joined me outside of the Tipton. We were leaving for the school shortly and I had decided to come outside to get a breath of fresh air.

"Sure," I shrugged, "this night doesn't mean as much to me as it does to Cody."

"I don't believe that," Maddie chided me, "this is just as much your night as his."

"Nah," I shrugged again, "it's his time to have the spotlight, since I always took it from him when we were kids."

"You've really matured," Maddie smiled at me as we just looked at the view.

"Thanks," I smiled back at her, "Maddie, look, there's something I want to discuss with you."

"Zack! Let's go," Carey Martin yelled at me as her, Cody, London, Esteban, Arwen, and even Mr. Moseby stepped out of the hotel to join us on our big night.

"Moseby! I didn't know you cared," I poked fun at him and watched him stiffen up.

"I do not care in the least bit, I am just happy to see you two hooligans leave my hotel at last," Mr. Moseby said formally, but I could see a small smile on his lips.

"Come on Maddie," I encouraged her as I held open the door of the passenger side of my car so that she could get in. A few seconds later, Cody and London joined us in the car and we were ready to take off.

8888

After most of the festivities were over later that night, I was sitting on a park bench across the street, knowing that my perfect moment had probably already passed me by.

"Zack?" Maddie questioned as she approached my park bench, "I was getting ready to leave and I wanted to find you to say good-bye."

"Bye," I half-heartedly attempted a smile at her.

"What? No hug?" Maddie smiled, "Come on Zack, I thought you were a ladies man."

I smiled as I got up to give the girl of my dreams a good-bye hug. As I was hugging her, I realized that I had planned this night to tell her, and there was no way that I was going to let it be ruined

"Maddie ….," I said, somewhat hesitantly, "there's something I have to tell you."

"Okay Zack," she smiled her gorgeous smile at me, "what is it?"

"Ever since I have known you, since the first day I moved into the hotel, you knew I had a crush on you," I started, Maddie smiled again.

"Of course I remember," Maddie giggled a little, "you were so cute."

"Well, after a couple of years, I stopped trying to ask you out. You were older, smarter, and generally too good for me," I continued in a rush, "but, Maddie that doesn't mean I stopped having those feelings for you. They were always there. They are still there."

"Zack," Maddie began, but I interrupted her.

"Just let me finish before you talk," I said, "I know that I am still three years younger than you, and you still are too good for me. But, I would do everything I could to make you happy. All I'm asking for is one date. I still like you Maddie."

"Are you done?" Maddie quietly asked.

"Yeah," I said, looking hopefully at her. She timidly smiled at me.

"Zack … I'm sorry," Maddie shook her head, "I only see you as a friend. A good friend, no, a great friend. But, I just can't return these feelings you have for me. I'm sorry."

"Oh," was all I could manage to say.

"Zack …," Maddie started again, I couldn't stand to hear the pity in her voice, so I interrupted her again.

"No, its okay," I shook my head, giving her a weak smile, "I'll be okay. I'm used to rejection by you."

"Are we okay?" Maddie asked, nervously.

"Of course," I gave a broader smile, "we'll always be friends."

"Good," she smiled, giving me a brief, awkward hug, "I really do have to go."

I watched her walk off before sitting back down on the park bench. I was so stupid. I should have known that she would never feel the same way. She was too good for me. Everybody had been right. I had never been so humiliated in my life.

"This sucks," I stated, not wanting to move from the park bench.


	2. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I do not own the Suite Life of Zack and Cody.

Chapter One

Ten Years Later

The young woman hurried into the building, looking a bit frenzied as she stepped up to the receptionist's desk.

"Hi," she breathlessly said, "I'm looking for the owner of this company."

"Do you have an appointment?" the receptionist eyed her, looking at her disheveled appearance, clearly thinking that she did not.

"No," she said, after regaining her breath, "but that doesn't matter. Just tell him it is Maddie Fitzpatrick."

"I'm sorry," the receptionist said in a way that made it very clear she was not sorry, "you can only see the owner by appointment."

"But I know the owner," Maddie protested.

"That's great," the girl rolled her eyes, "but without an appointment."

"Don't worry Sheila," a voice spoke up behind Maddie, "I can handle it."

"Sir, she doesn't have an appointment," the receptionist protested as Maddie whirled around to see a tall man standing behind her.

"It will be fine," he soothed the receptionist, while leading Maddie into the elevator, when on the elevator, he finally turned to look at her, "so, you want to speak to the owner?"

"Yeah," Maddie smiled, relieved, "where is he?"

"I am the owner," the man frowned slightly.

"No, the owner is Cody Martin," Maddie shook her head, "well, and Zack …,"

She trailed off as she noticed the slightly confused look on the man's face, "Zack … Zack Martin?""That would be me," he finally smiled.

"I haven't seen you in years!" Maddie gushed, "how have you been?"

"Good," he said, "how are you Maddie?"

"Did you know the whole time it was me?" she asked, somewhat wearily.

"Yeah," Zack smiled, "I would recognize you anywhere.""I can't believe I didn't recognize you," Maddie shook her head. But, as she took another look at him, she realized how she could have made the mistake. She had last seen him on his high school graduation, and he had been tall, blonde, a little chunky, and had blue eyes. Now, well, he was still tall, but he now had brunette hair, was more muscular than chunky, and must have been wearing contacts because he had green eyes.

"I have changed a good deal over the last ten years," he flashed a smile as he stepped off the elevator and motioned for Maddie to follow him.

"It has been ten years, hasn't it?" Maddie smiled too, but then remembering the last occasion she actually talked to Zack, the smile died from her lips.

"Anyways," Zack's smile waned a little too, "you are here to see Cody. Any particular reason?"

"Let's just say wedding dress shopping with the future Mrs. Cody Martin is driving me crazy," Maddie rolled her eyes.

"It is part of your duty to go shopping with the bride-to-be as they maid of honor," Zack laughed, "and London is one crazy person to shop with."

"You're telling me," Maddie stated, "the reason I have to talk to Cody is because I have to ask him if he doesn't mind a strapless dress. And the reason she couldn't just text message him was because she wanted to make sure of how he felt and with text messaging, she can't see him face to face."

"Yup, sounds like London," Zack said, stopping in front of what seemed like a fairly large office, "okay, here's Cody's office."

"And where's yours?" Maddie asked, looking around for a similarly sized office.

"Up one floor," Zack stated, then turned to the secretary, "will you please tell Cody that Maddie is here for an emergency with the dress."

"Okay," the secretary obeyed, but with one eyebrow arched. After paging Cody, he quickly stepped out of his office.

"Hey Maddie!" he greeted, somewhat surprised at her sudden appearance and then looked at his brother, "what's going on here?"

"And this is where I leave you two," Zack excused himself, backtracking towards the elevator.

"London wants to know if you are okay with a strapless dress," Maddie stated, after a few seconds of silence as she watched Zack leave.

"What?" Cody asked, somewhat taken aback by the question, "what does it matter?"

"Okay, apparently I am going to have to educate you on this," Maddie rolled her eyes at his dumbness, "if you don't like the dress, she will be completely devastated on her wedding day, but you can't see the dress because that would make it bad luck."

"Tell her that I don't care what kind of dress she wears," Cody shrugged, "she'll look beautiful in anything and there is no way I won't love the dress."

"I'll tell her the last part," Maddie said, exasperated, "but the first part is definitely not something you should say to your fiancée."

"Tell her whatever part you want," Cody smiled at the girl, "she is beautiful. And she should know that of all people."

"I'll tell her you said that," Maddie gently smiled at him, "Cody, I'm glad she chose to marry you."

"Me too," Cody winked at the girl, "well, I better get going so I can finish my business for the day."

"Okay, I'll see you sometime later," Maddie said. She then turned to leave as Cody walked back into his office.

9999

"You actually saw Zack?" London asked Maddie as they were discussing Maddie's trip to Cody's office earlier.

"It was weird," Maddie confirmed, "I haven't seen him since I told him that I didn't feel the same way he did."

"Huh uh," London replied, looking down at the wedding dress she was trying on before turning to her friend, "how do I look?"

Maddie sighed as she told London how great she looked. She didn't understand why London just wouldn't let her talk about the problems she was having. Ever since she had been London's best friend, it had always been about London.

"Are you okay?" London arched an eyebrow at her as she came out of the backroom with her wedding dress.

"Yeah," Maddie sighed, lying to her best friend, "I was just thinking about how weird it is that you are marrying Cody Martin."

"I know," London giggled, "he is really cute."

"And rich," Maddie said, bringing up something that had been bugging her for a while. Cody had always been like a brother to her and if London was just using him for his money, well, Maddie didn't know how she would react.

"And?" London asked, "I have my own wealth. Yay me!"

London was right; she did have her own wealth, mostly inherited from her dad's chain of the Tipton hotels. London had not even finished colleged, but she managed the hotel chain as if she was an old business professional.

Maddie couldn't help but smile at her friend's old catch phrase, "you're right. I just want to make sure Cody doesn't get hurt."

"And what about Zack?" London asked innocently, "you hurt him."

"I haven't spoken to him in ten years," Maddie protested, "he's got to be over that by now."

"I don't know," London stated, "how about the fact that you haven't spoken to him in ten years? He's avoided you like the plague. He left his own brother's college graduation early so he wouldn't have the chance of running into you."

Maddie didn't know how to react to this stunningly cruel statement of London's. However, it was a correct statement. In the ten years since Zack had told her how he felt, Maddie hadn't seen him once. Maddie, an art curator, even lived in the same city as Zack, albeit New York City, but he still avoided her. Until now.

9999

"You actually talked to her?" Cody asked Zack as the two went over some documents for their business later. The twins had successfully opened and run a sporting goods corporation, named C&Z Martin.

"I know," Zack shook his head, "I just saw her and I knew I could have walked right past her without her recognizing me, but I decided to stop."

"But you avoided her like the plague for ten years," Cody echoed the sentiment his fiancee had used earlier with Maddie, "you even left my college graduation early so you wouldn't have to see her."

"I know," Zack repeated, "I just saw how pretty she still looked and I guess I just wanted her to know how well off I was."

"But she already knew that," Cody pointed out.

"I know," Zack said for the third time, adopting a frown, "I can't explain it. I saw her, I saw her and I had to talk to her. After ten years of avoiding her, I had to talk to her."

"London says she isn't that happy," Cody somewhat shifted gears about Maddie, "she thinks it is because she doesn't have her favorite Martin twin around anymore."

"Please, she didn't need me then, and she doesn't need me now," Zack said harshly, turning back to his work. That night was something that had not left his mind in ten years, and after one time of seeing her again, Zack wasn't going to just let it leave his mind now.


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Zack and his childhood friends, Tapeworm and Bob, were playing video games when he decided to mention his chance meeting with Maddie.

"So, I saw Maddie yesterday," Zack casually said. Both boys immediately looked up from the tv screen to stare at their friend.

"Did you talk to her?" Tapeworm asked as Bob nodded his head vigorously for Zack to answer the question.

"Of course," Zack rolled his eyes nonchalantly, "why wouldn't I?"

"You can't pretend that you didn't care when she broke your heart," Bob pointed out, "we were there when you locked yourself in your room and wouldn't talk to anybody for three days, not even Cody."

"I thought we agreed to never bring that up," Zack sent death glares to his two friends, "I've moved on from that time in my life."

"You're right," Tapeworm said soothingly, "so, how did she look?"

"Gorgeous as always," Zack automatically responded. When his two friends raised an eyebrow at him, he suddenly became defensive, "what, can't I say that a woman looks good without you guys freaking out?"

"You could about a woman, but not about Maddie," Bob shook his head, "I don't think you ever got over her."

"Thanks for that observation," Zack sharply said, "I'm sorry I even brought it up."

"Why did you bring it up?" Tapeworm asked casually, then teasingly added, "because you still LOVE her."

"That's it," Zack stood up, "get out of my apartment."

"No, we're done," Bob said, amidst laughter, "but, really, if you still like her, you should go for it."

"What makes things so different now than they were ten years ago?" Zack sighed, sitting back down.

"You're rich," Bob simply answered, "and women love that. Plus, you have a lot more charm now than you did then."

"I've always been charming," Zack snapped at him, "who has had the most girlfriends?"

"No need to sound so egotistical," Tapeworm soothed him, "he was just trying to point out that your skills have refined to be more attractive to a girl like Maddie."

"Yeah, what he said," Bob smiled.

"So, basically the point is, you should use your charm to win her over," Tapeworm continued, but with the look on Zack's face he added, "what, you don't want to do that?"

"I just remember her saying that she didn't feel that way, that I was a great friend," Zack made a face at that statement, "I don't think that will just change with my amazing charm."

"You never know," Bob shrugged, "it's been ten years. Show her a little bit of that pain she showed you that day."

"I could never hurt Maddie," Zack sighed.

"Well, you don't have to really hurt her," Tapeworm slapped Bob upside the head, "just see if you still feel the same way."

Zack sat silently debating his friend's words. He knew he could never hurt Maddie, but he didn't think he could stand being hurt by her again either. Maybe he should just forget that he ever saw her. That would work.

9999

Maddie was finishing up an art exhibit when two of her co-workers, Allison and Margaret, walked up behind her.

"Are you ready to go get some supper?" Allison asked her casually. The two had noticed something strange going on with Maddie all day, but she didn't seem to want to talk about it. So, by taking her out to dinner with them they were hoping to force it out of her.

"Sure," she said, somewhat distractedly. It wasn't until they actually got to the restaurant that Maddie began to talk about what had been on her mind all day.

"I saw Zack Martin yesterday," she blurted out right after they had made their drink orders and the waitress walked off.

"Who?" Margaret arched an eyebrow, "I thought Ms. Ditzy was engaged to a Cody Martin."

"She is, Zack is Cody's twin brother," Maddie explained, ignoring the dig at London, neither of her work friends cared for London all that much.

"And?" Allison prodded for her to tell more. So, with this, Maddie launched into the story of her and Zack's friendship, the breaking up of their friendship, and their meeting at his office building yesterday, with a couple of minor breaks to order food and ask for more beverages. The two listened with great enthusiasm and finally broke in whenever she was done.

"And you're worried about this why?" Margaret asked.

"Because, he was the best guy friend I had at the time," Maddie sighed, "he was always there for me."

"Until you turned him down," her friend pointed out, "seems like kind of a selfish reason on his part."

"Not really," Maddie looked pain, "I always knew how he felt about me, and kind of hoped that it would go away with time. Selfish on my part to be his friend when I didn't return any of his feelings."

"I see," Allison smiled, looking somewhat troubled, "so, do you like him?"

"I've always liked him, as a friend," Maddie answered.

"Maybe he's matured enough to were he wouldn't mind being your friend," Margaret reasoned, "you guys seemed to have been great friends at one point in time."

"Maybe," Maddie smiled, "he was a great friend. Always looked out for me."

"Then you should talk to him," Allison encouraged, "obviously if he talked to you after ten years he is looking to open back up your communications."

Margaret vehemently nodded her agreement. As the conversation shifted to this guy that Margaret was dating, Maddie's thoughts stayed with the talk about Zack. She had thought they were going to stay friends after her rejection of him, but he had taken to fully avoiding her, not answering her phone calls, not writing her letters, not even visiting her at college anymore. She was sure that her friends were right, if he had finally reopened the lines of communication, then he definitely wanted to be friends with her again. Right?

00000

"You can't just ignore her after talking to her," Cody raged to his brother after Zack had filled him in on his plan about Maddie he had reached after talking to Tapeworm and Bob.

"But, they made me realize that she hurt me, and I don't know if I can go through that," Zack mumbled.

"And you're going to listen to those two? What about me?" Cody practically yelled, "I'm your brother. We have that whole twin telepathy thing going on."

"That's why you should sense how much it still hurt to see her the other day," Zack snapped at his brother, "I didn't want this to turn into an argument."

Cody sighed before sitting on the couch next to his brother, "Sorry, look, I know how much she hurt you. But it is not like everybody in the entire world didn't warn you about what would happen. Plus, she misses you."

"You could be me," Zack rolled his eyes at his brother; "you guys have more in common anyways."

"So?" Cody quirked his eyebrow, "and you don't think you and London have more in common than London and I do?"

"Well ..," Zack said, not really sure how to reply to it, "it was just too awkward for me to go through again."

"You do this with girls all the time," Cody finally gave up, standing up, "avoid them when you don't want to have any serious conversations with them. Usually, it hurts them, but this time I think it is hurting you. You guys could have at least been friends."

99999

"I'm going to try and be friends with Zack again," Maddie announced to London whenever she walked into the apartment later. London looked up from her book of wedding invitations to roll her eyes at Maddie.

"And what makes you think he wants to be friends with you?" London asked curiously, scooting over so Maddie could sit next to her on the couch.

"Well, he did talk to me yesterday, something that hasn't happened in a long time," Maddie pointed out, "that's got to mean something?"

"Unless he was just taken off guard," London smiled, "look, Zack isn't the type to want to be friends with you. He hasn't had any serious girlfriends in his life, and I think that has something to do with you."

"Thanks, so I'm responsible for making Zack into an emotionally incapable dating machine?" Maddie laughed.

"I'm not saying that," London frowned, "I'm just saying, don't get your hopes up too high with Zack. I bet he still thinks about what you said to him. That's not something you get over easily."

"I'm sure it will work out fine," Maddie frowned, "Zack is a good guy. And he will definitely want to be friends again."

"Whatever you say," London said, not wanting to prove to her friend just how wrong she was, "just, if he decides to be your friend again, don't lead him on again. He deserves better than that."

Before Maddie could protest about leading Zack on, London left the room.


	4. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: I do not own the Suite Life of Zack and Cody.

Chapter Three

"Hello," Maddie said coolly to the same receptionist she had seen a mere two days earlier as she walked into the office that Zack and Cody owned.

"Hello," the receptionist greeted just as coolly, "let me guess, you need to talk to the boss?"

"Yes," Maddie tried to smile, "but, Zack this time, not Cody."

"Lucky him," the receptionist said dryly, "just go up to the fourth floor and I'll call him to tell him your coming. He should be waiting for you."

Maddie walked towards the elevator, considerably more nervous than she had been when she had first decided to go through with this conversation.

9999

"Zack Martin," Sheila said, in a rather irritated fashion as she paged her boss, "that girl is coming up to talk to you."

Zack didn't even have to ask what girl she was talking about. Sheila found anybody who broke the rules an annoyance, and knew she felt no different about Maddie after her sudden and unscheduled visit the other day.

"Thanks," Zack answered, rather nervously. He had hoped that he could forget about Maddie and ever talking to her. But, apparently Maddie had different ideas. What could she possibly have to say to him?

Would she approach him about that night? That night that he still couldn't talk about. Would she ask him why he had avoided her? That would lead back to that night. Would she … His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door. Zack nervously got out of his seat and answered the door.

"Hey Maddie, come on in and sit down," Zack said, feeling the nerves in his stomach jumping around. Maddie smiled at him before sitting in one of the chairs across from his desk. Zack then went and sat in his own seat.

"Zack … I wanted to talk to you," Maddie nervously said, willing herself to not play with her hands in her lap.

"I assumed so," Zack flashed her a grin, "since you came here and all."

"I .. it was really surprising seeing you the other day," Maddie admitted, "and, I guess I just wanted to say that I haven't been happier in the few years that we haven't talked than I was when I saw you. You were one of my best friends, and I don't want to lose you again."

"Maddie …," Zack tried to interrupt, but Maddie just kept talking.

"And, I know that things ended kind of badly. But, I was hoping since you were kind of the one to initiate conversations the other day that you could at least try and be friends again," Maddie blurted out.

"Maddie," Zack sighed. This was worse than he had thought it was going to be. He didn't know how he was going to tell her that he didn't think he could be friends with her. It seemed impossible now that she had said all of this.

After a silence that seemed to stretch on, Maddie stood up from her chair, feeling tears rise up in her eyes, "Sorry I disturbed you."Maddie," Zack started again, but as she turned back around, Zack couldn't think of any words to say, so just blurted out a few, "I'm sorry, I don't think I can go back to being friends with you."

With those words, Maddie Fitzpatrick left his office, for what seemed to be the first and last time. But, as he watched her leave, Zack wondered how come he felt worse about letting her leave than he thought he would have?

99999

Zack Martin cautiously walked into the museum that Cody had told him Maddie worked at. After contemplating his and Maddie's situation, he realized how much of a jerk he had been. He should have just talked to her about being friends again, what kind of signals had he sent her by first initiating conversation in ten years and then telling her that he didn't want to be friends? He hated to hurt Maddie, and he especially hated to see the first-hand effects of his hurting Maddie.

"Can I help you?" a curious lady asked as he looked around the museum, hopelessly.

"Yeah," Zack smiled, looking the girl up and down. She was very pretty, "your phone number would help a lot."

"Does that line work on people?" the girl asked wryly, "because I find it to be a very disappointing one."

"Most of the time it doesn't," Zack continued to smile, "but, it does get them talking to me, which is what I was going for all along."

"So, you're the sneaky type?" the girl mused, "at least you are kind of cute."

"And so are you," Zack retaliated, "so, what do you say to dinner tomorrow night?"

"Without even knowing my name," the girl shook her head, "and you were doing so well."

"Well, who says I don't already know your name?" Zack asked her, "I think it is something along the lines of Meagan."

"It's Margaret," she corrected.

"Well, see I was close, so dinner tomorrow night," Zack informed her, "I won't take now for an answer."

"Okay," she smiled, "I'll meet you outside of the museum at seven o'clock."

"And you didn't even learn my name," he shook his head at her, "it is Zack Martin."

"Wait, as in Maddie's Zack?" Margaret suddenly asked.

"Um, I guess," Zack looked confused, "actually, I'm here to talk to her. Do you know where she is?"

"Zack," Maddie looked confused as she joined the two. Margaret still looked rather surprised that the handsome man who had just asked her out was in fact Maddie's Zack. The look on Zack's face was somewhere between surprise at being called Maddie's Zack and hopelessness as he noticed the look on Maddie's face, she looked confused and hurt.

"Can we talk?" Zack quietly asked her. When she nodded, he started to follow her towards her office, before turning around and looking at Margaret, "I'll see you tomorrow night."

Maddie looked curious at that last statement, but didn't say anything, even after her and Zack sat down in her office. Zack took a deep breath before beginning the speech that he had thought up before he had come to the museum.

"Maddie, first I want to say I am sorry," Zack blurted out, "I was stupid to not even give our friendship a chance."

"If you don't want to be friends with me," Maddie coldly said, "I don't want you to be friends with me. Especially if it is just because you feel bad."

"Of course it's not just because I feel bad," Zack defended himself, "you were right, we were always good friends. I don't think I realized how much I missed that until after you left my office today."

"Why did you think it wouldn't work in the first place?" Maddie asked curiously.

"Because ..," Zack tried to think of the best way to put it without bringing the night she had broken his heart up, "I think I felt that since I didn't have any feelings for you anymore, it would be impossible for us to remain friends. But, I think without those feelings, we can be better friends than ever."

"And you're sure about this?" Maddie questioned, "Because I want you to be absolutely sure."

"I am totally sure," Zack smiled, "ten yeas without you in my life was plenty long. I don't think another ten years would be good for my health."

9999

"You're going on a date with Zack?" Maddie asked Margaret later as they were out for a cup of coffee.

"I'm sorry," Margaret apologized, "I can tell him tomorrow I can't see him again. I had no idea that he was your Zack."

"Wait," Maddie said, recalling what London had said last night about Maddie leading Zack on, "I don't want you to do that. I am okay with you dating Zack. I have no romantic feelings for him."

"Okay," Margaret shrugged, looking somewhat unconvinced, "but he is quite the charmer, don't you agree?"

"He's always been like that," Maddie rolled her eyes, "I swear he could make any girl weak at the knees."

"Except for you," Margaret pointed out.

"Except for me," Maddie confirmed. She knew for a fact that she had never had any romantic feelings for Zack Martin.

99999

"You asked out her work friend?" Tapeworm asked Zack as the two were getting some coffee after they had gotten off of work.

"I didn't know it was her friend," Zack protested, "you know how I get when I see a pretty girl, I ask her out."

"And how do you think Maddie feels about this?" Tapeworm questioned.

"She shouldn't feel anything about it," Zack shrugged, "she only ever considered me a friend. I could always get the girls I want."

"Except for her," Tapeworm pointed out.

"Except for her," Zack sighed. He knew that Maddie had and never would have romantic feelings for him.


	5. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: I do not own the Suite Life of Zack and Cody.

Chapter Four

"You can't go out with Margaret," London demanded of Zack as she, Cody, and Zack got lunch the day of Zack's date with Margaret.

"Why can't I?" Zack sighed, already having heard all of London's reasoning from Cody, who London had told to talk to Zack about and now she was going to give him her reasons from her own mouth.

"What about Maddie?" London questioned.

"Is she that blonde girl?" Zack rolled his eyes, "the one who I just agreed to be friends with?"

"Zack Martin," London bossily told him, "do not be a jerk."

"I'm not trying to be," Zack said, exasperated, then looked at his brother, as if expecting support, "I just don't think that Maddie will, or should, care if I go out with her friend."

"But …," London started, but Cody finally decided to break into the conversation.

"Maybe you should just let it go," Cody soothed his wife, "if Maddie really has a problem with it, she can talk to Zack herself, she doesn't need you to fight all of her battles for her."

"But what if she doesn't know that she doesn't want Zack going out with that Margaret girl yet?" London questioned her fiancées reasoning under her breath.

"I heard that," Zack snapped at her, "and do we not remember who was the one who told me that they didn't have any feelings for me? That was her. She'll be fine. She's dated people I consider friends before, I've dated people she's considered friends before."

"Fine, do whatever you want," London dismissed, "but if you are wanting me to be happy about it, I'm not going to be."

"I don't care if you are happy about it," Zack firmly answered, "I just want you to lay off of me about it."

"Whatever," London snapped, getting up from the table, "I'm leaving. I'll see you later Cody."

With that, she stormed off, and then suddenly Cody turned to Zack.

"Do you know how mad she is right now?" Cody went off on Zack, "all because you just have to take out this girl you don't even know that well."

"Maddie said she was fine with it," Zack argued with his brother, "and I think I will judge her feelings based on what she says more than I will based on what London says."

"Yeah, well, you don't get girls at all," Cody answered his brother's reasoning, "and now London isn't going to talk to me because I sided with you."

"You are so whipped," Zack shook his head at his brother.

"True, but at least I am actually getting married," Cody retorted before standing up to also leave, "I love London, and sure sometimes she has very strong opinions about some things, but they are mostly to protect her friends. And maybe in this situation she is trying to not only protect Maddie, but to protect you also."

Without another word, Cody walked out of the restaurant. Zack looked down at London and Cody's empty plates and realized that they had stuck him with the bill.

99999

"Hey Zack," Margaret greeted, somewhat shyly as she stepped out of the museum later that night.

"Hey Margaret," Zack smiled at her, "so, I haven't really made any great plans for tonight. I figured with you working at a museum you probably have a lot of fancy dinners and stuff with clients you are trying to talk out of precious heirlooms, so I thought we might grab a bite to eat at a pizza parlor and then go to a movie or something. Unless you want a fancy dinner."

"No, your way sounds perfect," Margaret grinned, "I really enjoy a good pizza."

"Sweet," Zack said, holding out his arm for her take it and then leading her to a taxi cab he had waiting, "sorry, no car for today either. I am not a big fan of driving in New York City."

"Fine with me," Margaret shook her head, "and I would just like to disclaim that it is not my job to talk people out of heirlooms, I am a museum tour guide."

"And would you ever give me a private tour?" Zack asked.

"I think I could arrange something," Margaret blushed, looking out the window, "I love New York City at night, it is when it seems to come to life."

"You read my mind," Zack said, feeling the exact same sentiment, "my brother hates the night here, says it is too busy. I try to convince him that that is what makes it so beautiful."

"Hmm … you're a good charmer," Margaret laughed, "I can see why you are such a ladies man."

"I'm not that bad," Zack protested.

"Sure you aren't," Margaret rolled her eyes, "Maddie told me all about your high school charming days. And apparently you've only gotten better."

"Well, okay then," Zack said, mischievously, "charming girls was a major part of my life growing up."

"Sounds like it must have been a very interesting life," Margaret said sarcastically, "all you boys are the same."

"I do sense some hostility towards men who enjoy women's company," Zack said, in a mockingly shocked tone as he got out of the taxi cab outside of the pizza parlor and held the door open for Margaret to follow him."Oh please," Margaret rolled her eyes, "you only enjoy women's company in the sense that you like to flirt with lots of them."

"That is still enjoying their company," Zack reminded her, and then looked up at the pizza board, "okay, so what kind of pizza do you want?"

"You are letting me decide?" Margaret asked, a shocked tone in her voice, but unlike the mockingly shocked tone present earlier in Zack's voice, this seemed to be sincere.

"Why wouldn't I?" Zack asked, a look of confusion coming over his face.

"I guess because most of the guys I date are the macho type who like to order all the food, regardless of what I like," Margaret shrugged.

"Well, I'm not that type," Zack frowned, "and that would probably be the type that you think are jerks because they like to flirt. Well, I'll have you know, I treat girls very respectably."

Margaret slightly smiled to herself. Despite the factor of having heard all of these words before from different guys, Zack really seemed to mean them. And, besides, if he was good friends with Maddie, and Maddie didn't choose friends lightly, then he probably was a good idea.

"Pepperoni," Margaret said after a few seconds whenever she realized that Zack was looking at her, waiting for her to say what kind of pizza she liked.

"Sweet," Zack grinned, "that's my favorite kind."

"It's not that uncommon for people to like pepperoni," she pointed out, "in fact, I bet half of the people in this pizza parlor like pepperoni."

"But, I'm not on a date with half the people in this pizza parlor," Zack retaliated, "which is probably a good thing, because I don't think I could work the charm near as much on twenty people at once."

"I'm sure you'd find a way," Margaret muttered as Zack began to order their pizza.

9999

"So, what'd you think of the movie?" Zack questioned as he began to lead Margaret back towards her apartment. They had decided to walk considering the distance to her apartment from the movie theater had only been about five blocks.

"Well, I thought it was a clear indicator of what a big dork you are," Margaret rolled her eyes, "you really took me to see a chick flick on our first date?"

"First date, huh?" Zack wiggled his eyebrows, "does that mean I can be expecting more dates?"

"Please," Margaret stated, "you've known that you were going to be getting a second date since you saw me come out tonight."

"Nah, I was only hoping for one," Zack grinned.

"I think you've achieved it," Margaret grinned back at him, "I mean, between letting me pick the pizza and then taking me to a chick flick when you seem to be a very manly movie type of guy, I don't think I could say no."

"Then I'm glad I did all of that," Zack grinned even wider, "because, let me just say, talking to you tonight, listening to your friendly teasing banter about me being a self-obsessed ladies man, it definitely makes me want to go out with you again."

"I wasn't kidding about the self-obsessed ladies man part," Margaret informed him, "but, I still like you anyways."

"Well, that's good," Zack said, taking her hand in his, "because, even though you are an intelligent, attractive, and somewhat sarcastic girl, I still want to go out with you again. And since I usually go for one out of those three qualities, that is saying a lot."

"I think you just complimented me," Margaret chuckled as they reached her apartment, "well, I did have a nice time tonight. Give me a call."

"Oh I will," Zack smiled, watching her walk up to her apartment. After she had left, Zack still found himself smiling.


	6. Chapter Five

Disclaimer: I do not own the Suite Life of Zack and Cody.

Chapter Five

Maddie was sitting in her office, eating the blueberry muffin she ate every Thursday morning when Margaret came into her office, catching her off guard. For the most part, Margaret did not really come and see her during the day because she had so many tours that when she finally got a moment of free time, she liked to spend it on herself.

"So, I went out with Zack last night," Margaret grinned to her friend, taking a seat.

"Congratulations?" Maddie said, in a somewhat questioning voice.

"It is certainly congratulations," Margaret explained, "he is a great guy. How did you ever turn him down?"

"Easy, I knew him when he was eleven and still thought it was funny to try and shoot milk out of his nose," Maddie said dryly, "I'm glad you had fun though."

"Thanks," Margaret smiled, "He still thinks rather highly of you."

"That's great," Maddie repeated her dry tone of voice, "look, I'm sorry I can't talk to you more about this, but I have an appointment in ten minutes to see about this piece for the museum."

"Okay," Margaret steadily said, her smile not faltering a bit as she got up from her chair and headed towards the door, before leaving, she called out, "have fun!"

Maddie shook her head at her friend, but began to wonder why she didn't want to talk about Margaret's date. She usually loved to hear about any and all of her friend's dates and since this consisted of two of her friends, why wouldn't she want to hear about it? She reminded herself that it was just because it had been with Zack, and after finally being friends after so many years, the first thing he had done was gone out with her friend, not even making time to hang out with her.

"Hello?" an uncertain voice asked as somebody knocked, and slightly pushed open the door.

"Yes?" she inquired, not really knowing who was at her door. A man stepped in, giving her a smile.

"Hi, um, I'm Mr. Gradd, the person you talked to about the museum piece," he smiled. At least that part wasn't true, she was supposed to talk to someone about the museum piece, "I'm sorry, I knocked once and you didn't answer."

"Sorry," she smiled, "have a seat. Trying to place this order for an exhibit for next fall and must have zoned out."

"I guess I can take that," Mr. Gradd continued to smile, "so, is this piece for the exhibit?"

"No," Maddie shook her head, "we would like to put your painting in one of our permanent exhibits."

"And are you looking for a donation, or are you actually going to give me money for it?" the millionaire stated.

"Well then," Maddie rolled her eyes, "aren't donations kind of when the donor wants to give something? Not when I call you."

"You sure have a way with customers," the guy arched an eyebrow.

"I generally try not to waste time with people who only care about money," Maddie said coldly. The guy laughed at these words.

"I like you," he stated, "most people are afraid to talk to me like you just did, including people that have been working for me for years, and yet you meet me and two seconds later, bam! You tell me that I'm a money-obsessed person who happens to own the painting you want."

"What can I say?" Maddie shrugged, smiling a little, "I've dealt with people like you on a daily basis since I was a teenager."

"You're an interesting girl," Mr. Gradd laughed, "I would like to take you out to dinner, say tonight."

"While I'm very flattered by your invitation Mr. Gradd," Maddie smiled, "I think I'm going to have to turn you down. Because, see, you don't know anything about me, and heck, I don't even recall your first name at this point in time."

"Jeff," he answered, "and I do know things about you. You are a museum curator; you aren't too easily intimidated by people who are rich. And you are best friends with London Tipton."

"How in the world could you possibly know that?" Maddie asked, a little taken aback.

"Because London and I happen to be business partners, and she was really the one who convinced me to come see you today," he informed her, "She said you were a bright girl who could talk me out of my painting faster than anybody else ever could."

"And apparently she was wrong," Maddie shook her head.

"Not necessarily," Jeff shrugged, "I think I would like to make a donation after all. With me being obsessed with money and all, it could be a terrific tax write-off."

"That's fantastic," Maddie relaxed a little. This guy didn't seem as self-absorbed as she had originally thought he was.

"So, about dinner ..," Jeff brought up again, "I would really appreciate it."

"I guess it wouldn't hurt," Maddie finally caved in, "do you want to meet me outside here at around seven?"

"I will be there," Jeff answered, elegantly getting up, before leaving the office he turned back around and added, "you won't regret this."

Maddie just smiled to herself as he left. She couldn't remember the last time she had gone on a date. This was a good thing for her.

99999

"You are going out on a date with Jeff?" London asked, a slight tone of something in her voice that Maddie couldn't quite place.

"Is that a problem?" Maddie retaliated with another question as she typed an e-mail to a museum as she was talking on her cell phone.

"It's just that Jeff … well, he has a way of using girls," London explained.

"It's only one date," Maddie reminded her, "and I'm sure he won't be using me."

"Well, just be careful," London told her, "because he's a charming, good-looking, funny guy, who knows what he wants and isn't afraid to go after it."

"You just described Zack Martin," Maddie laughed.

"And does that tell you something?" London asked her friend.

"That you must be wrong if you are only comparing him to Zack," Maddie said, "but, I have to go, so I'll talk to you after my date."

"Just be careful," London said again, "and just think about things."

"No reason to be cryptic," Maddie rolled her eyes, before hanging up the phone.

999999

"Hey," Maddie greeted as Jeff waited outside of the building for her, with a limousine waiting.

"This way, mi'lady," he charmingly said, bowing her towards his car.

"So, I think we can make a special trip to Monsieur Harhings," Jeff said as soon as they were in the limo, referring to a very nice and expensive restaurant on the other side of town.

"Okay," Maddie said, somewhat reluctantly. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy fine food, she just didn't know if such a fancy restaurant was good for a first date. It was usually reserved for anniversaries and birthdays and stuff like that.

"It's okay," Jeff said, as if he could read her mind, "I know it's a little fancy. But, we'll have fun."

"Sounds good," Maddie finally smiled, "really expensive is good for me."

"And you think I'm a money-obsessed ego-driven human?" Jeff asked, "you know, one of those people that you've dealt with since being a teenager. Yet, you seem to fit into their world better than you know."

"Except for the being rich part," Maddie reminded him.

"You must do well as an art curator," Jeff remarked, "but, anyways, tell me, what exactly introduced you to London Tipton and the rich people you've dealt with?"

"Candy girl for Tipton hotel in Boston, where London lived when she was a teenager," Maddie immediately said.

"Wait, I visited there once," Jeff recalled, "when London was a teenager, I didn't know you worked there."

"Wait, you were Jeff Gross," Maddie suppressed a laugh.

"No, my last name is Gradd," Jeff looked confused.

"Yeah, I know," Maddie smiled, "but one of my friends got into a fight with your something, and he called you "Gross"."

"You were friends with that Zack kid?" Jeff's eyes narrowed, "he played so many tricks on me when I stayed in that hotel."

"That's just the way he is," Maddie dismissed, "he likes to have fun."

'Fun my butt," Jeff muttered, but then forced a strained smile, "so, how is the old boy?"

"Good, actually he owns a business now," Maddie bragged, "I always knew he could do whatever he wanted."

"Sounds like a real terrific kid," Jeff still had the strained smile.

"He's not really a kid anymore," Maddie informed him, "he's grown up a lot. I bet you two would get along now."

"You know what perplexes me most?" Jeff asked, changing the subject, taking her hands into his, "is that I remember that kid, but I cannot for the life of me remember the beautiful girl who was working behind the counter."

Maddie blushed at his statement.


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

"Hey Maddie, how's it going? I was wondering if you wanted to hang out with Cody, London, and I tonight?" Zack rehearsed as he stared at his office phone. Despite his friendship with Maddie, he was finding it extremely difficult to call her on the phone just to ask her to come and help plan more of Cody and London's wedding.

"It usually helps to call someone if you actually pick up the phone," Cody said in amusement as he entered his brother's office, sitting down.

"Shut up," Zack snapped, "it just feels weird calling her after all these years. That's all."

"Yeah, that's exactly what it is," Cody rolled his eyes, "but you might call her fast because she might be getting a phone call from her boyfriend any second now."

"Wait, she has a boyfriend?" Zack tried to sound nonchalant. Last time he had talked to her, she hadn't mentioned anything about a boyfriend, not that it was her duty to tell him or anything. Or that he cared, he was just curious, at least, that's what he told himself.

"They've only been out on one date," Cody flippantly said, carefully reading his brother's reaction. Being twins, they could usually decipher each other's reactions pretty well, but Zack seemed to be masking his.

"Sounds like fun," Zack said carefully, "hope he's nice. She deserves a great guy."

"Well, I'll leave you to call her," Cody said, somewhat cheerily, "tell her we're just going to hang out at the apartment and eat pizza and discuss a couple of wedding things before watching a movie."

Zack quickly dialed Maddie's phone number right after his brother left his office so as not to lose his nerve. However, as soon as he heard Maddie's 'hello' on the other end of the phone he almost hung it right back up.

"Hello?" Maddie asked again, sounding more irritated this time.

"Maddie?" Zack finally got the courage to say.

"Zack?" Maddie questioned, "how's it going?"

"Good," Zack replied, letting out his breath that he didn't even know he'd been holding, "so, I was wondering if you wanted to come over to our apartment tonight. Cody and London want to go over a couple of things with the wedding and since you are the maid of honor and I'm the best man, they want us to be there. And then we figured we'd just watch a movie."

"Okay, sounds good," Maddie said, and Zack could just imagine the smile on her face, "I'll see you around six?"

"See you then," Zack sighed, hanging up the phone. He couldn't believe Maddie had a boyfriend, but then again, he technically was seeing Margaret, who was a great girl. Speaking of which, he needed to call her, he hadn't talked to her in a couple of days.

"I was beginning to think that you weren't opting for that second date," Margaret joked when she answered the phone a few seconds later.

"Well, after a long and deliberate debate in my head, I decided you were worth it," Zack joked back, leaning back in his chair to talk to her.

9999

Maddie smiled as she prepared to knock on Zack's door. She had only been over to their apartment once, and that had been when Zack was gone on a business trip. While Cody may not have exactly agreed with Zack's reasoning to not be Maddie's friend, he didn't want his brother feeling uncomfortable, so therefore always met Maddie at her apartment.

"Hey Maddie," Cody greeted as he answered the door after she rang the bell.

"Cody!" Maddie smiled, giving him a hug.

"London's in the living room and Zack is on his way out to pick up a pizza," Cody said, and as if right on cue, Zack ran towards the door.

"Hi Maddie!" he shouted behind him, "I'll see you later."

"He seems happy," Maddie laughed as they made their way to the living room.

"He is," Cody laughed back, "ever since he went out on the date with Margaret, he's been really happy."

"Oh," Maddie smiled, giving her best friend a hug whenever they entered the living room.

"Hey Maddie, how's Jeff?" London asked casually, bringing a wedding book closer to show her fiancée a nice floral arrangement.

"Good, the date was great," Maddie said, in a 'so there' matter. London just shrugged.

"Guess where we decided to have the wedding?" London asked, enthusiastically.

"London?" Maddie questioned.

"No, that's me," London looked quizzical, and then shrugged, "we're holding it at the Tipton in Boston. We all get to return there!"

"And mom is singing," Cody smiled, "she was super excited when we asked her."

"Really?" Maddie asked, excited, "it's been a long time since I've seen your mom."

"I know," Cody said, "she really misses you. Said you were always like a daughter to her."

The trio chatted for the next half hour, laughing about stories with Esteban, Arwin, Cary, and Mr. Moseby. Finally, Zack came back with the pizza.

"Hey guys," Zack smiled, setting down the pizza on the table, "what are we talking about?"

"We're getting married in Boston," London excitedly claimed, before her fiancée could answer.

"Congratulations?" Zack said in a questioning manner as he grabbed some paper plates, "is that the wedding plans you needed to go over?"

"No, you need to tell London that there is no way you are going to wear a lime green tuxedo as the best man," Cody said. At these words, Zack spit out his soda in somewhat of a panic.

"London, you can't make me do that," he practically begged, "you are supposed to have good taste in fashion. Lime green tuxedos are not high fashion."

"But Zack," London whined, "I wanted my wedding to be unique."

"It would have been unique alright," Maddie muttered under her breath, laughing to herself. However, London had overheard her.

"And they were going to go so well with my neon pink bridesmaid dresses," London pointedly said. Then, it was Maddie's turn to spit out her soda.

"Neon pink?" Maddie almost yelled, "there is no way I am wearing neon pink while walking down the aisle with a guy wearing a lime green tux."

"It's my wedding though," London was on the verge of throwing one of the fits that she, as a hotel heiress was famous for, "tell them Cody, they have to wear whatever I tell them to."

Cody looked around at his brother, his friend, and his fiancée, all giving him pleading looks. He had already made London mad once in the last week by taking Zack's side on the debate about his date with Margaret, so he knew that London would get really upset if he didn't take her side now. However, he really didn't want his best man, or the maid of honor, to be wearing colors worthy of a circus on his wedding day.

"London, honey ..," he started, but London interrupted, laughing at this point in time.

"You can't really think I'm serious can you?" she laughed, "there is no way I would EVER let either of you wear those colors. However, the looks on your faces were priceless."

"I will kill your fiancée," Zack muttered to his brother as London continued to laugh. Maddie, however, overheard them and grinned.

"And I will so help," Maddie whispered also, "I almost died when she said that."

"You guys did?" Cody shook his head, "I thought my wedding was going to be a circus. I didn't know if I could stand up to London twice in one week."

"Whipped," Zack rolled his eyes as London finally stopped laughing.

"So, Maddie, how's Jeff?" London asked, looking at the other three somewhat serenely.

"Oh, is Jeff your new boyfriend?" Zack questioned before Maddie could answer.

"Yes he is," Maddie smiled at him, "you actually know him. Do you remember a guest that you used to have wars with? Jeff Gradd?"

"You're dating Jeff Gradd?" Zack asked, in somewhat of a panic, almost spewing his drink everywhere for the second time that night.

"That's what I said," Maddie looked confused, "I think the two of you would get along great."

The look on Zack's face would suggest that he thought otherwise but instead he said, "he must have really changed from the time I last knew him."

"Not that much," London muttered under her breath.

"I think he has," Maddie said, not hearing what London said, "he reminds me a lot of you."

"Fantastic," Zack said sarcastically, "maybe I should get to know him better."

"Hey, maybe we could double date on Saturday night," Maddie said, excitedly, "we were supposed to go see a movie, but I'm sure Jeff wouldn't mind doubling instead."

"Um," Zack said, trying to think of something, anything to get him out of going on a double date with Jeff Gross and Maddie … but he couldn't think of anything, because everything that was popping into his mind just sounded like a cop-out, so finally he relented, "yeah, that sounds like it would be fun."


	8. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

"This is all your fault," Maddie informed London as she was getting ready for her double date with Zack.

"My fault?" London asked, taken aback, "you were the one who told him that you two should double date."

"You're the one who brought Jeff up, even though you had already asked me earlier that night how Jeff was doing," Maddie pointed out, "and now I'm going out on a double date when I'm pretty sure that Jeff doesn't like Zack."

"And Zack doesn't like Jeff," London said quietly, but then out loud she added, "I forgot I had already asked you. Sorry."

"Whatever," Maddie sighed, finally deciding on a dress before going into her bathroom to change into it, "I just hope that it goes okay. I mean, they are both adult men, they should be able to get along, right?"

Maddie said the last part rather hopefully as she stepped out of the bathroom in her black dress. London looked out at how pretty her best friend looked and shook her head.

"I'm sure they'll get along," London lied. For everybody always calling her dumb she seemed to be way more tuned in to the problems of both Maddie's and Zack's current love lives than either of them were.

"What are you thinking of?" Maddie asked, suspiciously, "you have that look on your face like you are smarter than anybody ever gives you credit for. And that usually involves something with me and Zack."

"What?" London asked, trying to look shocked, "I would never think I was smarter than you."

"Sure you wouldn't," Maddie rolled her eyes, putting on black shoes and grabbing her purse, "I got to go, we'll talk later. The date will be fine."

"You're convincing yourself," London said in a sing-song voice as she followed Maddie out of the apartment.

9999

"This is all your fiancee's fault," Zack complained as he was pulling on his shoes for his double date.

"How is it her fault?" Cody demanded of his brother.

"Because she's evil and a planner," Zack informed him, "I don't know if you know this or not, but when we all thought she was stupid in high school, she's not stupid. She's evil and manipulative."

"You are talking about the woman I love," Cody said in a lightly warning tone.

"Well, then you are evil too," Zack said, "she so planned to bring up Jeff."

Cody didn't say anything. He didn't want to bring up about that being the second time London had asked about Jeff that night because then it would probably prove Zack's point about London being manipulative.

"And I hate double dates," Zack continued to complain.

"Maybe you don't want to go because you still like Maddie," Cody finally said something. London and he had discussed Maddie and Zack's friendship and hopefully someday relationship for the last couple of years and the two of them being friends again seemed like a dream come true.

"I don't like Maddie," Zack impatiently said, "I like Margaret. She's funny, intelligent, sweet, sarcastic, vulnerable in a way that makes me want to protect her from everybody including myself, and gorgeous."

"Wait," Cody snapped out of his daze, "you just described Margaret by all of her other attributes before you mentioned beauty."

"Yeah?" Zack asked, somewhat confused.

"The only other person that you ever described like that was … well do you remember how you used to describe Maddie?" Cody asked.

"Sure, funny, independent, passionate, smart, caring, sweet, and gorgeous," Zack listed off, and then he understood where Cody was coming from, "so I described Margaret and Maddie with their beauties last, it is not that big of a deal."

"it wouldn't be," Cody agreed, "If they weren't the only two girls I've ever heard you describe with their looks last."

"And what does that mean?" Zack asked, sighing.

"That's something you're going to have to figure out," Cody shrugged. Even though Cody already had a pretty good idea what it meant. And it meant something that was not good for Zack or Maddie, and indirectly London and himself.

00000

"Margaret, you look gorgeous," Zack smiled at Margaret as she came out of her apartment. The four of them were supposed to be meeting up at Margaret's apartment and then would probably continue on towards a club.

"You don't look too bad yourself, kid," Margaret smiled back at him. She had taken to calling him kid since he did happen to be a couple of years younger than her.

"Hey guys," Maddie greeted as her and Jeff got out of the limousine. Maddie and Margaret gave each other a quick hug while Zack turned to Jeff.

"Haven't seen you in a while," Jeff said stiffly.

"You either," Zack tried to kindly respond, but not coming out very nice at all.

"Well, this is a tad awkward," Margaret informed her boyfriend as she climbed into the limousine behind Maddie. When Zack had first asked her if she would mind double dating with Jeff and Maddie tonight she had been kind of freaked out because of Zack's past with Maddie, but when he had assured her that he didn't want to go and the only reason they were going was because all the excuses he had were lame, she had perked up considerably and was now looking forward to a good time. Well, if Jeff and Zack could be civil to each other.

"Isn't Jeff cute?" Maddie whispered to Margaret as they headed down the road. Margaret nodded her head in agreement, even though she thought that Zack was much cuter. Maddie knew what Margaret was thinking and couldn't help but think no matter how attracted she was to Jeff, Zack was definitely the better looking out of the two.

"So, I hear you own a sporting goods business," Jeff politely said to Zack, trying to make small talk.

"Yeah, my brother and I do fairly well for ourselves, do you remember Cody?" Zack asked, innocently. Well, he knew it seemed innocent, but the underlying context was very important to him. Zack wanted to know how much Jeff actually remembered about his prank war with Zack.

"Is he that kid that looked a lot like you?" Jeff asked, in an amused voice, "your twin right?"

"Hey, look, there's the club," Maddie pointed out. She knew that there was a lot more to Zack's question than had met the eye and really wanted to get the two guys out of such a closed, small space together. She was really beginning to think that this double date was a horrible idea.

As the limousine came to a halt, Zack opened the door and stepped out, lending Margaret his hand to help her out and then doing the same for Maddie. Jeff was the last to get out of the limousine while the other three were staring at the club they were supposed to be going too.

"This is like the richest club in New York City," Margaret said, in awe. Zack looked a little disgruntled at her apparent happiness. So much for liking simple things.

"You didn't have to bring us to this club," Maddie insisted as they made their way to the door.

"Oh, I know a guy who helps run it," Jeff said nonchalantly, "so, I figured we could get in here pretty fast."

And sure enough, instead of having to wait in the long line to get in, the bouncer automatically moved them up the front and let them in. Jeff turned around and smiled as they entered the club. Zack looked around and felt a little nervous. He was not really good at coming to clubs, despite the fact that he was quite a good dancer, in fact, it was probably because he liked to dance too much. And drink too much. It just didn't generally end up well.

"I've heard about your drinking skills," Maddie whispered to him, "be careful. Margaret can drink herself under faster than anyone I know and I think at least one of you needs to stay sober."

"Oh, and which one of you is going to stay sober?" Zack snapped at Maddie as they found a table off to the side to sit at.

"Of course me, I don't drink," Maddie shrugged. Zack looked taken aback by this statement because he knew that as a general rule, once Maddie was of age she had a tendency to drink. Cody would tell him some great stories about Maddie's drinking before he realized how uncomfortable it was for him to be mentioning Maddie.

"Since when?" he hissed back, but never got an answer because both Margaret and Jeff turned to them.

"Do you want to go get me something to drink?" Margaret asked him politely. Zack nodded and stood up, not even bothering to wait to hear what she wanted, figuring she could drink anything just fine.

"So, how is life?" Jeff asked nonchalantly as he joined Zack at the bar.

"Look, I know you don't like me, and I don't like you," Zack snapped at him, "so why don't we just get through this night and never talk again?"

With these words, he grabbed Margaret's beer and left to go back to the table.


	9. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

"How'd the double date go?" Cody asked Zack in amusement as Zack walked out of his room the next morning to grab a cup of coffee.

"I'm fine," Zack shrugged, "didn't drink, no hangover if you don't drink."

"And was Jeff okay?" Cody asked casually. Zack sighed and sat down his coffee cup to turn around and look at his brother, who was doing some paperwork for their company.

"Do you even remember the reason why I started that war with Jeff?" Zack asked.

"Because you thought he was annoying?" Cody ventured a guess, not really remembering very well the details that started the war, but the details that actually took place during the war.

"Well, let me remind you," Zack instructed, sighing again as he grabbed the creamer and sugar out of the cabinet.

9999

_Flashback_

_Zack and Cody were walking in to the hotel from their long day of school when they noticed a couple of boys who were school age standing near the elevators, laughing. They didn't find this too surprising, however, because a lot of the guests children had private tutors or went to private school and were allowed off more than Zack and Cody were, however, as they passed by on their way to the suite, Zack couldn't help but hear some of their conversation._

"_Did you see that candy girl?" the taller boy asked of his companion._

"_Jeff, she's way out of your league," the other boy smiled, "she sees right through guys like you."_

"_Want to bet?" Jeff quirked an eyebrow at his friend, "I so want to see her candies, and I'm not talking about the one's for sell. I bet you by the time we leave, I'll have her."_

_With that, Zack, who happened to be almost entering the elevator couldn't take anymore and yelped, running towards Jeff and tackling him onto the ground._

"_Zack!" Cody yelled, as he backed up off the elevator once he realized his brother was no longer with him, "what are you doing?"_

"_Stupid idiot!" Zack shouted at Jeff as Jeff pushed him off of him and they both stood up._

"_What the heck did you do that for?" Jeff demanded to know. Zack didn't answer and lunged towards Jeff again, but this time Jeff was prepared and dodged out of the way, "you're crazy."_

"_Heh heh, sorry about that," Cody said with a nervous laugh as he grabbed his brother and physically began to drag him to the elevator, "low iron. Makes him go crazy."_

"_Let go of me," Zack tried to unsuccessfully escape._

"_Will you shut up, Mr. Moseby was just called by the receptionist and will be here any minute," Cody hissed at his twin. With those words, Zack immediately stood up and the two ran onto the elevator, hoping to not get caught._

_9999_

"That's why you tackled him?" Cody asked in amazement as Zack finished relaying the story, "you never told me that, you just tackled him like it was a natural thing for you to do. When Moseby came and knocked on our door to chew you out I almost peed my pants trying to hide quickly and I didn't even do anything. You, on the other hand, calmly answered the door and told Mr. Moseby that he deserved it."

"It was natural," Zack insisted, "nobody can insult Maddie and get away with it. Especially since that was at the height of my crush on her. And then he has the audacity to pretend he doesn't even remember her from his trip to the Tipton."

"Maybe he doesn't," Cody shrugged, when Zack glared at him he continued, "well, I mean, he was looking to get with her, and if she turned him down its likely he doesn't remember people he didn't conquest, so therefore he wouldn't remember her. You do the same thing."

"I do not," Zack snapped at his brother. He was rather insulted that his brother would compare him in anyway to the jerk.

"You don't make bets about whether or not you can get a girl," Cody agreed quickly, trying to calm his brother down before he got into his full-blown angry mode, which usually didn't end well for Cody, "but you do forget quickly those who have turned you down. How many girls have you asked out in the last six months?"

"Margaret, Lacey, Sarah, and Rachel," Zack counted off as he recalled the girls.

"And the ones who turned you down, Liz, Meagan, and Geri," Cody pointed out, proving his point. Zack just ignored him and so then Cody continued, "besides, that was when he was younger, he may have changed since then. Both of us have changed dramatically since we were younger, even since we were teenagers in high school."

"I doubt it," Zack stated, "He was a total jerk last night."

"How come you didn't drink?" Cody asked suspiciously, changing the subject "you love to drink."

"I know," Zack sighed, finally sitting down, "but Maddie said at least one person of both couples should stay sober and she volunteered me. I think she thought we might end up doing something we regretted if one of us didn't stay sober."

"And she stayed sober?" Cody asked, already knowing the answer. Zack nodded, and then something odd popped into his mind.

"She said she didn't drink but I've heard stories about her drinking before," Zack said, confused, "what's going on there?"

"Um, I think I have to go see London now," Cody said hopefully as he jumped up from his spot and began to walk off, hoping to make a quick exit.

"I'm not stupid Cody, tell me what happened," Zack demanded. Cody shook his head before turning around and looking at his brother, who had a look of concern etched on his face.

"Well, about two years ago Maddie was dating this guy and we all went out to a club, and it was soon after London and I started dating, so we were kind of in the new relationship phase, so we were drinking, and of course Maddie and Mark were drinking," Cody started, sitting back down, "Maddie had a little too much to drink, and her and Mark went off into her room whenever we got back from the bar and we didn't even think anything of it until we heard someone screaming."

"Did he try something?" Zack asked, getting mad even though the event was long over. Cody nodded and continued.

"I guess it went a little farther than she wanted because she wasn't in control, and he left after that, apologizing because he didn't know that she didn't want to do anything, but that was the end of their relationship and the end of her drinking," Cody ended.

"How could I miss being there for her?" Zack asked, more to himself than to Cody, but Cody gave him an answer anyways.

"You were hurting," Cody answered, "but you guys are friends now."

"Yeah," Zack sighed, "it was so weird being at a club and not drinking. I'm a much better dancer when I'm not drunk."

"Did you and Margaret have fun?" Cody asked, "even if she was drunk and dancing."

"Yeah," Zack smiled again, "it was weird being around her and Maddie. I guess after all these years I would have felt more conflicted when I was with both of them, but I really wasn't."

"I'm proud of you," Cody smiled at his brother, "I think you've finally grown up."

"Shut up," Zack shook his head, "I just wish there was a way that I could make Maddie see what a jerk Jeff is."

"London doesn't like him either," Cody admitted, "she does business with him because her dad did business with his dad, so she has to carry on the family tradition. And London is a pretty good judge of character."

"She has to be," Zack reminded him, "with growing up a hotel heiress and being taken advantage of so many times, you would think that she would have learned."

"True," Cody got one of the goofy grins that he got whenever he was thinking about the woman he loved, "anyways, she really wants Jeff to be out of the picture too. She says it is only going to take a matter of time."

"And her evil mastermind isn't going to try and push anything?" Zack asked, in a shocked voice, recalling how many times London had tried to fix his love life.

"She decided with the last guy, Ben, that Maddie dated she wasn't going to try anything soon," Cody laughed, more to himself than to Zack, who gave him a quizzical look so Cody explained, "let's just say it ended with her in a big vat of spaghetti sauce while trying to spy."

Zack laughed, not knowing the full details, but knowing that London covered in spaghetti sauce was a sight to see. He then grabbed one of the folders of reports his brother was working on to help him.


	10. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

"You look terrible," Maddie greeted Margaret as her and London went into a coffee shop to get some coffee and saw Margaret, who just groaned in response.

"That is what happens when you drink a lot," Margaret answered, "Zack probably thought I was an idiot. I get so weird when I drink."

"Well, Zack probably doesn't have much room to talk," London shrugged, not having heard about Maddie's date yet, "when that boy gets drunk, he goes crazy. One time he stood on the table in Zack and Cody's apartment and sang Avril Lavigne."

"Zack didn't drink," Margaret said, looking confused, "I didn't know he liked to drink. I just assumed he didn't because he didn't like to."

"I asked him not to," Maddie said, guiltily as she shot a glare at London, "I don't like to drink and I wanted somebody else to stay sober with me. And I decided one person from each couple would be good."

Margaret eyed her friend suspiciously. She hadn't minded Maddie and Zack dancing together last night when she was so drunk that she couldn't see in front of her face, because she knew Zack liked to dance and it was probably better for him to have a dancing partner that could actually stand up. But now, knowing that Maddie had asked Zack to not drink, she was a little bit weary of the whole thing.

"We have to go," Maddie said brightly, as if she knew what Margaret was thinking. London looked at Maddie as if she had gone crazy.

"We didn't even get our coffee," London pointed out. They had never made it to the counter, stopping once they had seen Margaret sitting by herself.

"I forgot I left my credit card in the apartment," Maddie said, grabbing London's arm and dragging her away, "Bye Margaret."

Margaret waved by and shook her head in amusement. One thing that Maddie had never been good at was lying.

9999

"Why did you drag me out of there?" London demanded to know.

"Why did you tell her that Zack likes to drink?" Maddie shot back.

"Maybe because Zack likes to drink," London reminded her.

"Well, you ruined everything," Maddie said in frustration, "now Margaret's going to think that I asked Zack to stay sober instead of her because I like him or something like that."

"Why did you ask Zack and not her to stay sober?" London asked suspiciously.

"Because I know how much Margaret likes to drink and was apparently unaware of how much Zack likes to drink," Maddie shook her head, "remember, I've never been drinking with him before."

"Sure," London was still looking at her suspiciously, but linked her arm through Maddie's and began to walk back in the direction of the apartment, "how was the date?"

"It was okay," Maddie rolled her eyes, "Jeff insisted on taking us to that club that is really popular."

"The one you always say is very degrading to our society?" London asked.  
"That's the one," Maddie smiled, "I would have been happy going to a club were I actually knew people."

"Did Margaret and Zack like it?" London asked curiously.

"Margaret loved it," Maddie answered, "but Zack looked like he would be more comfortable at a local bar, singing karaoke after a few too many drinks."

When London burst into giggles, Maddie looked at her as if she was crazy.

"What did I say?" Maddie asked, bewildered.

"That's exactly what Zack does. For some reason, he loves to sing when he's drunk. You know how I mentioned the Avril Lavigne singing earlier?" London recalled, "well, one night he did it in a bar."

"No way," Maddie also started laughing, "Zack was singing Avril Lavigne in the bar?"

"Yeah, but not just any Avril Lavigne song, he burst out with Sk8ter Boi," London continued the story, "it was remarkable to see how drunk everybody was, because they were just cheering him on."

"I can't believe I missed it," Maddie shook her head.

"Oh, it'll come back again," London assured her, "Either that one or My Happy Ending, those are his two favorites."

Suddenly, Maddie turned serious and thoughtful.

"What's wrong?" London asked her.

"Is it weird that Jeff doesn't remember me?" Maddie asked, "I mean, after he told me about staying at the Tipton, I remembered who he was."

"You and Zack were close at that time," London reminded her, "you remembered him because of the war, but do you really remember actually meeting him?"

"No," Maddie shook her head, "I guess I don't. But, that was such a big prank war."

"I know," London laughed, "do you remember the time that Zack dumped chocolate coating on him and it made him look like a human candy bar."

"I was the one he bought the chocolate from," Maddie said, laughing again.

9999

_Flashback_

"_Hey Maddie," Zack greeted as he tramped down the stairs._

"_Aren't you grounded?" Maddie asked Zack, looking at him suspiciously._

"_Mom said I could come down and get a candy bar," Zack smiled brightly, "so, I want as much candy as this will buy."_

_Maddie still didn't know if she should trust him, especially after he brought out a hundred dollar bill and plopped it on the counter._

"_Where did you get one hundred dollars?" Maddie asked._

"_I'm trying to make a business transaction," Zack reminded her, "And I'm sure Mr. Moseby would hate it if he didn't get all the money that was being offered to his hotel."_

_Maddie glared at Zack, but starting getting the candy anyways, "You still didn't answer where you got the money from."_

"_It's left over money from my job this summer," Zack shrugged._

"_Why are you spending it on candy then?" Maddie asked, "you should save it."_

"_It is a surprise!" Zack laughed, giving her the bill and taking all the candy, "you will see soon enough."_

_Maddie shook her head as she watched Zack go back towards the elevator. It was very unlike him to be cryptic._

_00000_

London and Maddie continued to laugh, while trying to walk down the street. People were stopping and watching them, shaking their head and Maddie even thought she heard a couple of people say what an audacity it was to drink during the middle of the day, which only made her laugh harder.

"Do you remember the look on Mr. Moseby's face whenever Jeff came downstairs, covered head to foot in chocolate?" London laughed.

"Because Cody stole his key card beforehand," Maddie recalled, "and so he couldn't get back into his room."

"Jeff still hates talking about that whole war," London shook her head.

"Probably because he lost," Maddie giggled. When London looked at her, Maddie sighed, "Oh come on. Zack totally won that war. Anybody could see that."

"I know that," London said crossly, "It's just weird that you didn't defend Jeff. I would defend Cody through anything."

"You and Cody are engaged," Maddie reminded her, "I'm just dating Jeff. Besides, you would admit to the fact that Cody got his butt kicked by Zack several times when they were kids."

"And he still does," London muttered.

"Jeff and I have fun London, but if you really don't approve, you can tell me now and I won't see him anymore," Maddie seriously told her, "you're my best friend. I don't want to date anyone you aren't comfortable with because I know how much it would bug me if you dated somebody I didn't like."

London considered for a moment. She could really tell Maddie how she felt about Jeff, but what if Maddie was just lying when she said that she could handle it, it could really mess up her friendship with the girl. But, on the other hand, she could stop a relationship that she knew had potential for bad things happening. So, basically she had no idea what to say to her friend. And she had to decide now, because if she didn't answer, Maddie would know she didn't approve.

"London?" Maddie asked uncertainly.

"Sorry," London broke out of her daze, "I was just thinking. You know what? You should date whoever you want. I'll make an effort to get to know him better if you really like him enough to keep him around."

"That's really mature of you," Maddie said, eyeing her friend, "aren't you going to try and pry into my love life? Because that would be the normal thing for you to do."

"One vat of spaghetti sauce was enough for me," London sighed, "I smelled like spaghetti for at least a week after."

"But that was so funny," Maddie sighed too, "I didn't know whether to be mad at you or laugh at you."

"Thanks," London said wryly.

"No problem," Maddie said cheerfully, and then she looked seriously at London, "but thanks for saying it is okay to go out with Jeff."

"You're welcome," London answered, smiling. However, she couldn't help but think that she was just very hopeful that she had made the right decision.


	11. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Two weeks after their double date, Maddie was finishing up some work in her office when Margaret lightly knocked on the door. Maddie looked up and smiled, motioning for Margaret to come in.

"Hey," Margaret said, somewhat awkwardly, "I was just making sure that you and Jeff are both going to be at the party tonight."  
"Wouldn't miss Zack and Cody's birthday for the world," Maddie honestly said, "Just trying to get this paperwork done before I go and get ready."

"Sounds great," Margaret gave her a shy smile, "I'm sorry that we haven't really talked in the last couple of weeks … things have been …,"

"Awkward between us?" Maddie ended her sentence when Margaret trailed off, "I should have told you I asked Zack to stay sober. I'd never been drinking with Zack, so I was unaware of how much he liked his alcohol."

"There's going to be drinking tonight," Margaret smiled at her, "And I shouldn't have been so testy about the whole thing. You're my friend, and I trust you. I trust Zack too."

"Thanks," Maddie said, relieved. The two weeks since the double date had been filled with awkward conversations and avoidances on both girls parts, she quickly gave Margaret a hug, "Now, you better get going. Because if you are anything like London, you are totally freaking out about planning this party."

"She has more to plan out than I do," Margaret laughed, "Zack just wants a few beers, Cody is the one who wants to go out and eat."

"Oh yes," Maddie laughed with her, "The classic difference between the Martin twins."

"Well, I should probably go and get ready," Margaret said, "I'll see you tonight."

"Bye," Maddie called out after her, and a second later she saved the paperwork on her computer with a victorious laugh and walked out the door.

99999

"I can't believe he has to come," Zack whined to Cody as the two were getting ready for their birthday party.

"It's not that surprising," Cody shrugged, as he looked for his dress shoes, "Did you use my dress shoes again?"

"Sorry," Zack sighed, running into his room and digging through his closet before throwing the shoes out the door to Cody, "And what makes you think it is not surprising? She knows we don't like each other."

"Well, just think of the circumstances," Cody called as he laced up his shoes, "Tapeworm and Bob are both bringing their girlfriends, you have Margaret, I have London, and Max is bringing her new boyfriend, so why would Maddie want to be the only one there without her significant other?"

"Because he is a low-life jerk," Zack spat out as he came out of the room with his own pair of shoes, "and besides, we like Tapeworm and Bob's girlfriends. We don't know Max's new boyfriend, but we usually like the guys she does date. I never said anything that could remotely be taken as me liking Jeff."

"Zack," Cody said patiently, "do you remember when we used to do birthday parties for Tapeworm and Bob and every once in a while you were the only person there without a girl?"

"Your point?" Zack frowned, knowing what Cody was getting at but not really wanting to admit how his brother was right.

"That's how she feels," Cody went ahead and condoned Zack's pretend ignorance, even though he knew it was pretend, "She doesn't want to be the odd one out."

"Well, she could have at least thought of a better date than him," Zack complained, even though it wasn't quite as full-hearted before, and he said it with some resignation.

9999

"What exactly is going on at this party tonight?" Jeff asked of London as the two were leaving the Hotel Tipton located in New York after doing some business things.

"First we are going out to dinner at Cody's favorite restaurant," London explained, but before she could get any farther Jeff interrupted her.

"Why aren't we going to Zack's favorite restaurant?" he asked curiously.

"Zack doesn't really care about the food, he's more interested in the bar and karaoke afterwards," London explained.

"He doesn't seem to have very high class taste for someone who is supposedly doing well for himself in business," Jeff shook his head. London glared at him.

"Well," she said, her voice laced with ice, "he happens to believe the simple things in life are the most important. And Jeff, you better watch what you say because that is my future brother-in-law, and more importantly, one of my best friends."

"I'm scared," Jeff said flatly, "I'm just saying, he doesn't act like he's well-off. He doesn't even act like he cares. That is a little suspicious.

London finally turned on him, fixing her icy eyes on his face, "Look Jeff, I don't like the fact that you are dating my best friend, but when she asked me if it was okay, I said yes because I thought that either she would learn her lesson, or that I would end up looking stupid like I always do when I try to interfere with her love life. So, I don't care if you date her, but the next time you make fun of my friends just because they don't prance around and flaunt their money everywhere like you, or even I, do, I will personally see to it that you will not be able to flaunt your money anymore because you will be too busy paying back all those hospital bills from the damage I caused you."

With those words, London walked off, leaving a stunned and considerably more frightened Jeff behind her.

9999

Margaret was beginning to walk up the steps to go to Zack and Cody's apartment building when she heard someone call her name behind her. She turned around to see a happier-than-she-normally-would-be-given-the-circumstances-of-it-being-her-fiancee's-birthday London, and an amused Maddie.

"How's it going?" London asked her conversationally. Margaret stared at her, knowing that London didn't like her and found the encounter odd.

"She's happy for some strange reason," Maddie dismissed her friend when she noticed that Margaret was staring at her as if she was rather odd.

"Because I love life," London giggled. She hadn't told Maddie about her encounter with Jeff and she was sure that Jeff was now scared witless of her not because he thought she could actually do him physical harm (which London knew she could do if he hurt Maddie) but because she was one of the key components to his success and without her, he would be virtually nothing and that he probably would not say anything just in case it upset London more.

"You and Cody were made for each other," Margaret grinned as the three girls finally began walking again. She had spent some time with Cody last week when she had been playing video games with Zack. He seemed like a cool, level-headed individual that could counter act London.

"Thanks," London's grin widened. Maddie laughed at the two. No matter how much they still seemed to detest each other on the outside, they were friendlier to each other than Maddie had ever seen them be. And it wasn't just a fake friendly either, it was real and Maddie was hoping that they could become friends.

"I hope Zack likes my gift," Margaret said, biting her lip as they finally reached the apartment door.

"I got Zack the best gift ever," Maddie smiled deviously as her and London began bursting out in laughter as Margaret knocked on the door.

9999

"Hey Jeff," Cody said uncomfortably. Jeff had arrived a minute ago and they were still waiting on the girls. Cody hadn't actually seen Jeff since the war that had taken place between Zack and Jeff at the Tipton in Boston, and it was odd hearing his friends talk about him for the last couple of weeks and now actually seeing him.

"Hey," Jeff muttered. He was trying to calculate how long it was going to take Maddie to arrive at the house to make him feel slightly less uncomfortable. However, he also thought about the fact that she was probably coming over with London which would make him feel even more uncomfortable.

"Stupid piece of …," Zack's voice trailed off as he came out of his room and saw Jeff standing in the living room, "Oh, I thought you were the girls. I wondered why I didn't hear screaming for me to hurry up because our reservations are in _only_ an hour."

Zack and Cody both laughed, and Jeff knew they were talking about London, but after his encounter with her earlier in the day he decided he better not test his fate by laughing at her now.

"Do you hear laughing?" Cody demanded as soon and Zack and he stopped their own laughing. Zack and Jeff went silent in order to hear. Zack was about to declare that he thought his brother was going insane when he heard a roar of laughter and a knock on the door.

"The girls," he shook his head as he went to open the door.


	12. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

"I wonder how much the waiters hate us right now," Zack whispered to Margaret as he looked around at the group of twelve people crammed into one big table, laughing and carrying on about four different conversations.

"Probably think we're not going to tip well either," Margaret giggled, "Young people never do."

"Okay," Tapeworm and Max suddenly stood up, holding up their wine glasses, "Since we are two of Zack and Cody's oldest friends, we decided we would each make a toast to one of the Martin brothers."

"Cody, you are as loyal as anybody I have ever met, you have always had my back and the love for London you have is incredible and an inspiration to all who know you," Max started, smiling at Cody, "And I'm glad that we can be at this restaurant to celebrate your birthday."

"And Zack, you have a passion for things that I have seen unmatched by most, and while your loyalty cannot be as clearly seen, you have a great loyalty to your friends and family also, besides, now you have a hot babe," Tapeworm laughed, while Margaret buried her face and his girlfriend playfully hit him, "Anyways, I know this isn't really your thing, but I can't wait to see the drunken you hit up the karaoke machine later."

Cody and Zack both just laughed as everybody at the table took a drink out of their wine glass in cheer. London gave her fiancee's hand a squeeze.

"This is a great birthday," Cody whispered back to her, "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome, but the best part isn't over yet," London laughed. Cody had noticed that she had been particularly happy tonight, except when glancing at Jeff, who seemed to make her angry. Jeff also seemed to be avoiding looking at London. London added aloud, "It is time for the presents!"

"Zack, open mine first," Maddie innocently told him, handing him a bag as she did the same for Cody. Both looked curiously at each other, but dug in anyways.

"Hey, who told you about this?" Zack demanded to know as he looked at the Avril Lavigne CD in his hand. Everybody at the table except for Max's boyfriend, Margaret, and Jeff started laughing. They had all been with Zack when he had been drunk enough to sing her songs.

"It doesn't matter," Maddie said, in between laughs, "I just hope that tonight I get to hear your wonderful rendition of Sk8ter Boi."

Before Zack could respond, Cody interrupted and said, "Alright Maddie. Thanks for the admission passes."

"You gave him passes to your museum?" Jeff asked her with a quirked eyebrow.

"Cody loves the museum," Maddie explained, "he comes by at least once a week to check out the exhibits."

"And now I have a great tour guide to guide me through the museum," Cody smiled at Margaret, who still didn't know about the Avril Lavigne thing, even though Zack was trying his best to explain it.

"Actually, I feel bad," Margaret bit her lip as she handed her gift to Cody, and then one to Zack, "Because I got you the same thing as Maddie did because I've seen you in there so often."

"Sweet!" Cody exclaimed, "More trips to the museum! No reason to feel bad. London's always on my case about spending too much of our wedding money to go to the museum."

"And what did you get me?" Zack arched an eyebrow, starting to open his gift, when he saw what was inside, he gave a little laugh, "trying to remind me of our first date already, huh?"

He pulled out a t-shirt and a gift card from the pizza parlor they had eaten at on their first date.

"I knew it was your favorite," Margaret shrugged, "Besides, I think I've already seen you in all your t-shirts, so this way you have a new one."

"Thanks," Zack laughed, giving Margaret a quick kiss.

"Mine next!" London happily said, handing both boys their gifts, "They are amazing."

"They …," Cody began as he pulled out a blue button down shirt.

"Match," Zack finished as he pulled out the same shirt.

Everybody turned to look at London, who stared back at all of them, "What? Those shirts match both Cody and Zack's eyes perfectly. I couldn't pass it up. Besides, Cody, I have another part of your birthday gift for you later when the others aren't around."

"Whoa!" all of the others said, laughing at London.

"You guys are sick," London muttered, going red. They continued to pass around gifts as they waited for the arrival of their food, laughing at everybody's attempts at great gifts.

"It's been a while since we ordered," Zack suddenly stated after his stomach began to growl, "Like almost an hour."

"And we haven't seen our waitresses in an hour either," Cody joined in, "I wonder what's going on. I usually get much better service than this when I am here."

"Are you normally with eleven other loud laughing people?" Maddie questioned.

"I'll go find them, Margaret, come with me," London stated, standing up. Margaret stood up in surprise to follow her.

"Okay, so I had them whip up a special treat and that is why the food is taking so long and why they haven't been back by," London whispered as Margaret followed her, "They were baking a cake for Zack and Cody, and besides, I wanted to have them good and ready for their food before we gave it to them."

"And you needed my help why?" Margaret asked in astonishment.

"Because, you are Zack's significant other," London shrugged, "Besides, I feel really awful about the way I've treated you in the past. You are good for Zack."

"Yet you wanted him to end up with Maddie," Margaret sighed.

"How did you know that?" London said as she swung open the kitchen door and walked back towards the chef's area.

"Because, all of you guys did," Margaret shrugged, "It was pretty obvious when I first started dating him."

"Well, we like you now," London laughed as she found the chef, "You are good for him."

Margaret smiled, knowing that London's compliment was real and that Zack's friends had finally approved of her dating Zack. The chef looked up and smiled at them.

"Hello London," he greeted, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek, "how are the Martin twins?"

"Good, good," London said, then turned to Margaret, "George here went to high school with Zack and Cody, they were good friends."

"Yes, I did not know that they both lived in New York City now," George smiled, "And to think that they now both have such beautiful ladies."

The two girls laughed, and then the three began to head out of the kitchen, each holding some food followed by their waitresses carrying the rest of the food. They came back to the table to find everybody laughing about a joke that Tapeworm had apparently told.

"George?" Cody asked as he saw the chef. Zack looked up and both of them jumped out of their chairs to greet their old friend.

"See, told you I got you great gifts," London smiled as she sat down the food that she had been carrying. Margaret followed suit and then the two sat down while Zack and Cody continued to laugh with George.

"Man, you should join us at the karaoke bar later," Zack insisted, "We'll probably be there for a while."

"Sounds like fun," George smiled, as Cody gave him his cell phone number so he could get the exact location, "I'll try to make it after I get off of work."

"Bye," both boys said, clapping hands with George one last time before sitting down and eating.

"Man, I haven't seen George since we graduated," Cody smiled, giving his fiancée a quick kiss on the cheek, he said, "Thanks honey, that was really nice of you."

"I try," London said, trying to pretend to be modest.

The group dug into their food and ate quickly through both the main course and the cake. Every once in a while someone would make a funny comment and everybody would laugh, but mostly they ate in silence.

"So, who is ready for some beer and karaoke?" Zack called out excitedly after they exited the restaurant.

"Do we have to go dressed up?" Bob mumbled.

"Of course we do," Zack shook his head, "It is tradition. Come on Bob, you have been doing this for years. You should know the drill by now."

"You mean they do this every year?" Maddie whispered to London as they headed off to the limousines that they had rented for the night.

"Every year since they turned twenty-one," London confirmed, "It is nice for them to have this stability."

"Well, I'm just glad they're having fun," Maddie laughed as the reached the limousines. They had six people, three couples riding in each car. They each crawled into their respective limos.

"On to the karaoke bar," Zack stated as soon as they were all settled in. And they were off.


	13. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

"You are so adorable," Zack smiled at Margaret as they walked near the entrance to the karaoke bar. Since it was such a nice night out, they had the limousines drop them off about two blocks away so they could walk. The group had then split up into couples.

"Happy birthday," she gave him a kiss on the lips, but then whispered, "And I have a surprise for you later too!"

"I do like those surprises," Zack laughed as they walked into the bar, followed by Jeff and Maddie.

"This place is a dump," Jeff muttered as Maddie and Margaret went to go find a table. Zack heard him, but just shot him a glare, deciding not to say anything.

Slowly the others filed in to the bar, Cody and London being the last to come. Zack quickly grabbed Cody to help him get a couple of beers.

"I need your help," Zack sighed.

"What is it?" Cody looked surprised at his brother.

"I want you to limit my drink intake," Zack commanded, "because even though I can be funny when I'm drunk, I'm also a lot angrier."

"It's your birthday," Cody told him, "You can't limit your drinking. It's not tradition."

"But you know what I'm like when I'm drunk …," Zack insisted.

"Look, I don't think you'll do the whole thing were you moan over the fact that Maddie rejected you this time," Cody confidently said, "besides, you usually reserve that for after we leave the bar."

"Not that," Zack glared at his brother, "I am referring to the fights I've gotten into in the past. Somehow I have a feeling I might try and take out Jeff if I do in fact drink too much."

"You are a very odd drunk," Cody informed his brother, walking off with the drinks. Not confirming or denying that he would help him not drink.

00000

"Hey guys," George said later as he joined their table. Everybody greeted him. George took an empty seat next to Maddie because Tapeworm, who was sitting there, was off dancing with his girlfriend. George looked at Maddie in surprise.

"I can't believe you are here," George informed her.

"Why not? I've been the twins friend longer than you have," Maddie said offensively.

"I'm not saying you were a good friend, it is just … you know … I was there when you rejected Zack," George shrugged, "And it didn't look like he was ever going to see you again."

"We've moved past that," Maddie icily said. George shrugged again, but still did not look thoroughly convinced, "What exactly did happen graduation night?"

0000

_Flashback_

"_Zack, are you okay?" George asked his friend as he came back into the building. Zack seemed to totally ignore him and walked towards the elevator. The rest of them had not seen Zack in a few hours, and all of the guests were gone except for himself, Tapeworm, and Bob, who were supposed to stay up all night with Zack and Cody to reminisce. _

_George turned to where Cody was to tell him about Zack's odd behavior, but Cody had already seen his brother. He ran after him to catch the elevator in time. Whenever they left, George turned to the other two and all three looked trouble._

_Three days later, Zack hadn't come out of his room. Hadn't showered. Hadn't done anything. He wouldn't even talk to anybody. _

"_Zack, you have to come out eventually," Cody worriedly told his brother through the door. Cody then turned to his mom, who gave him a shrug. She looked worried about her son._

"_I brought cookies," George sing-sang to Zack as he stood outside of Zack's room. Suddenly, the door swung open and out stepped Zack in his boxers. Tapeworm, Bob, George, Cody, and his mom all looked at the disheveled boy who had a distinct odor about him._

"_Um …," Bob started to say, but had nothing to say to the boy. Zack looked between all of them and gave out a short laugh._

"_I have to shower," Zack stated, grabbing a cookie off of the plate as he headed towards the restroom, leaving the others in shock._

_99999_

"It was that bad, huh?" Maddie whispered. George nodded.

"Now do you understand why I was so shocked to see you here?" George asked. Without another word, he walked towards the bar area to purchase a drink, leaving a shocked Maddie behind. Maddie had never known how much she hurt Zack. She was sure it hurt a little when he didn't talk to her … but she had no idea that it had been that bad.

"Are you okay?" Jeff asked his girlfriend as he came over and sat back down at the table. He had been using the restroom the entire time she had been talking to George.

"Fine," Maddie distractedly said.

"Okay guys," a drunken Zack walked onto stage, "Who is ready for some Kelly Clarkson?"

Maddie nervously laughed along with everybody else as Zack started to sing his own version of "Breakaway".

000000

"Maddie, you've been quiet all night," London informed her best friend as they were going home at around two in the morning. London and Margaret had decided to leave Cody and Zack for the night because the two boys were so drunk they barely knew their own names.

"Sorry," Maddie said, still rather distracted, "can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," London shrugged, still thinking about the way she had yelled at Jeff earlier and hoping that had nothing to do with what her friend was wanting to ask her.

"When Zack told me how he felt … you … did you see him afterwards?" Maddie asked her friend, "I mean, soon afterwards."

London thought about it for a moment before shaking her head, "No, I went to Paris on a shopping trip right after their graduation and when I got back a week later, Zack seemed perfectly fine. Of course, when school rolled around I never saw him dedicate himself to school so much."

"Really?" Maddie asked, surprised.

"How do you think he and Cody opened up this business?" London shrugged, "Zack did so well his first year of college that he transferred to a much better college at the end of the first year."

"I can't believe I didn't know any of this," Maddie shook her head.

"And, after you, until Margaret, he's never been serious about a girl," London continued, without even paying attention to what Maddie had said, "It is kind of weird."

"What does Cody have to say about all of this?" Maddie carefully asked her friend.

"We never really talked about it," London shrugged, "I think he was always a little upset about the whole thing. He hates to see his brother distraught. So, instead of arguing about it, we just kind of vaguely talked about how we wished the two of you would be friends again."

"Do you think Cody blames me for what happened?" Maddie asked in a whispering voice.

"I'm sure he doesn't now," London assured her, "I just think at the time, well, I think he was more worried about his brother than his friend."

"I never meant to hurt him," Maddie informed her friend.

"I know," London said simply.

"This means I have to talk to him doesn't it?" Maddie asked.

"Yes," London said, just as simply.

Now knowing this, Maddie had no idea where she was going to start. No matter how simple London seemed to make it.

9999

"Dude, I am so drunk," Zack gave out an uncharacteristic giggle as he walked into his apartment. Cody, who was just as drunk, was groaning behind him. Cody had never learned to hold his alcohol without getting sick.

"I noticed, after the fifth duet you and Bob had of the Carpenters," Cody informed his brother, "In fact, I'm pretty sure everybody knew after that."

"Shut up man," Zack laughed, as he fell onto the couch, his brother right beside him, "that was a fun night though."

"And no fights with Jeff," Cody vaguely recalled what had happened before they had started drinking.

"And no ranting about Maddie," Zack sighed. He never remembered that part of the evening, but his brother had informed him numerous times of its existence.

"And Margaret?" Cody asked, kicking his brother off the couch so he could lay down. Zack didn't even object and just curled up on the floor.

"She's the one man, I think I'm falling in love with her," Zack sleepily informed his brother.

Zack had vague thoughts about how he should get up and walk to his bed, but knew that it was too far away for him to actually achieve that. It was all the way in the other room. It had been a fun night. So what if he woke up a little sore in the morning? He had got to sing Kelly Clarkson and Avril Lavigne, he didn't care about being sore or having a hangover in the morning. It had been one of the best birthdays of his life.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Zack was doing some work in his and Cody's office at their apartment when he heard a knock on his door. He was fairly surprised by this because all of his friends knew that he was behind on paper work and was going to spend all day catching up on it. A stark difference between Cody and himself was that Cody would do his paperwork a little at a time so he would be done whereas Zack waited until the last minute and crammed it all in one day. He'd already been at it for five hours and was only about halfway through.

"Hello?" Zack said as he answered his door, surprised to find Maddie on the other side of it. He knew that she would know about his plans to work all day.

"Hi," Maddie greeted, biting her bottom lip. Zack motioned for her to come in, still looking slightly confused.

"Is there anything you need?" Zack asked.

"I need to talk to you," Maddie blurted out. The two days that had passed since their party had made Maddie more nervous than she was before. She knew they needed to talk out what had happened ten years ago, but she knew that this might put a damper on their friendship. Actually, it probably would.

"I can see that," Zack lightly said as she sat down, "But, I do have to finish my paperwork."

"I'm sorry," Maddie tried to smile, "I didn't mean to make you miss your paperwork, but something George said to me has really got me thinking lately."

"Is it that you don't like Jeff?" Zack hopefully offered. Maddie offered him another smile.

"No," Maddie admitted, "It is actually about us."

"I didn't do it," Zack adamantly stated.

"Didn't do what?" Maddie asked, and when Zack shrugged, she continued, "No, I mean, about that night."

And with those simple words Maddie felt the entire dynamic of her friendship with Zack change. She waited for a reaction from him, knowing that whatever Zack said would be crucial to the approach of the rest of their discussion.

"What night?" was Zack's carefully planned response. He knew that Maddie probably did not know him as well as she once did, but anybody could have read the pained look on his face. He had already told Maddie that he had been hurt on that night, what more could she possibly want from him? He couldn't share any more feelings. Not without being embarrassed.

"Zack …," Maddie started, not knowing quite how to finish the statement, she was pretty sure 'the night I broke your heart forever' would not be a sufficient answer, "your graduation night."

"Oh," Zack said.

"What happened ..," Maddie started, but was interrupted.

"Was a long time ago," Zack stated, "I barely remember it."

"Zack ..," Maddie pleaded, not wanting him to make it any harder than it already was.

"Fine, you want the truth?" Zack asked coldly, "I couldn't do anything for three days except lay on my bed and stare up at my ceiling. Couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, barely could breath."

"Well," Maddie started, "I never meant to hurt you like that."

"Please, you knew how I felt about you," Zack rolled his eyes, "everybody knew how I felt about you."

"I'm sorry," Maddie said in a low voice, "I really am. I thought that if I was just friends with you, eventually you would notice that I wasn't in love with you."

"Well, apparently I didn't," Zack laughed in a sarcastic way, "You meant everything to me. You were the one. I guess I never had gotten over me idolizing you."

"And that's why you didn't talk to me," Maddie reasoned.

"Because it was too hard to look at you, talk to you, be around you," Zack shrugged, "for the longest time I couldn't even stand to hear your name."

"Are we okay now?" Maddie asked.

"I thought we were ..," Zack started, "but what makes you bring all this stuff up now?"

"Because I was wondering when George told me about the whole thing, I mean, about what happened after I left town. But then, London didn't seem to want to talk about it at all, so I knew something was up considering she'd tell me anything," Maddie answered.

"She was just trying to look out for me," Zack sighed, "She probably told you some stuff anyways. About how I buried myself in school work, and the girls and stuff."

"Yeah," Maddie agreed, "But, you seem to have done pretty well for yourself without me around."

"Maybe it was better that you turned me down," Zack laughed, less sarcastically this time, "after the whole thing at my graduation blew up in my face I wanted to show you how good I was. Even if I never saw you again."

"Why did you talk to me that day?" Maddie questioned.

"Because I was taken aback, and then I couldn't help but notice how good you looked, and then I saw the secretary giving you a hard time and thought that maybe if you were asking for the owner you might have been looking for me," Zack answered honestly.

"And I didn't even recognize you," Maddie shook her head, "You look so different now. Why the dark hair and different colored eyes?"

"To set me apart from my brother," Zack laughed, "And I like having dark hair. It makes me feel like a totally different person. And it doesn't hurt with the ladies."

"It looks so natural," Maddie giggled.

"Yeah," Zack started, but decided that since they were on the subject about being honest with each other, he'd go ahead and share his own honesty, "I don't like Jeff. I've never liked Jeff."

"You guys had that war," Maddie slowly said, "But I thought you were over that."

"Do you even know why we had that war?" Zack asked coldly, knowing she didn't because he had purposely kept it secret from her so she wouldn't find out.

"No idea," Maddie asked, confused.

"Because he was trying to make a bet with his friend over whether or not he could get into your pants," Zack said coldly. Maddie looked at him, suddenly remembering something.

99999

_Flashback_

"_Hello," a guy greeted her as he came up to the candy counter. Maddie was used to being hit on by the guys that stayed at the hotel who were just looking for somebody to go out with._

"_Hey," she greeted back, "What can I get for you?"_

"_Your phone number," he said back. Maddie just rolled her eyes._

"_That was original," she said, under her breath, but to him she said, "I don't think I can give that away … but if you want some candy, I'd love to give that to you."_

"_Come on, I'm rich," the guy laughed._

"_Most people in here are," she stated coldly. Before the conversation could get any further, Zack came up to the candy counter, ignoring the guy and looking straight at Maddie._

"_Hey Zack," she greeted, "Did you eat your one hundred dollars worth of candy?"_

_Zack's eyes quickly darted to the guy standing next to him, who suddenly got a big frown on his face._

"_You sold him that chocolate?" the guy demanded of Maddie, Maddie who looked confused just nodded._

"_He dumped that all over me," the guy glared at her._

"_You're Jeff Gross?" Maddie asked in surprise. The guy didn't answer and just stormed off, leaving Maddie to turn and glare at Zack._

_99999_

"That's why he hit on me that day," Maddie said, in surprise. Zack just nodded, "I'm sure he's changed since then."

"Maddie …," Zack started, but Maddie interrupted him coldly.

"I'm sorry Zack, but there's lots of things I could tell you about Margaret that would make you never want to date her again, but I won't do it because she's my friend, and I think you should just leave Jeff and I's relationship alone."

"All I want to say is …," Zack started again.

"I came here to talk about what happened your graduation night, not compare dating lives," Maddie said coldly, standing up to leave, "I'm just going to go ahead and guess that you are jealous of our relationship."

"I don't know if you realize this or not, but I'm in a great relationship," Zack called after her retreating figure, "And I'm only trying to warn you about Jeff because he is a jerk."

Zack looked down at his paperwork, now angry because he was mad at Maddie and didn't know how he was going to finish his paperwork, so instead of getting started he picked up his phone and dialed Margaret's phone number.

"Hey Margaret," he said sweetly as she answered the phone, a big grin spreading across his face, "I know I was supposed to be doing paperwork all day, but I was wondering if you wanted to go and get some food later. I just can't go the entire day without seeing you."


	15. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

"So, you aren't going to be attending the benefit dinner?" London questioned of Maddie as they addressed her wedding invitations.

"No, Jeff is going to be out of town, so it is just me and since I didn't get tickets because I'm not a big money maker, I won't be there," Maddie shrugged.

"You should go with Zack," London suggested, "Margaret is visiting her mom in Florida for the week, so she won't be there and so far Zack is going alone."

Maddie didn't know what to say to that. Ever since her and Zack's fight a week ago, they hadn't really said much to each other. They were still civil and hung out around each other when the occasion called for it, but they hadn't quite made up from the fight yet. But, Maddie couldn't tell London this because she hadn't even told her about the fight, even though she was sure Zack had told Cody because the two were really close and didn't really keep any secrets from each other.

"Maybe," Maddie considered, "But I don't know how much Margaret or Jeff would approve of me going with a guy who used to really like me."

"If they really care about you guys they will know you are only going as friends," London rationalized, "I'll give him a call and see if we can set something up."

Before Maddie could protest, London grabbed her cell phone and walked out of the room.

000000

"You want Zack to take Maddie?" Cody hesitantly said. He had yet to tell his wife about Zack's and Maddie's fight, mainly because his brother had begged him not to tell anybody else, and as his twin he felt obliged to obey his brother's request.

"Yeah, I think Zack needs to show up with a girl, and I could have my best friend there then, so when you and Zack start talking about all your guy things, I'll have someone to talk to about my wedding," London reasoned.

"I don't know if Zack will like that, that's all," Cody stated, but as soon as the words slipped out of his mouth he instantly regretted them.

"Why won't Zack like it?" London demanded to know, "It's not like I expect them to actually date, what is with you people today?"

"Never mind London," Cody said quickly, "I'll ask him and if he says no, I'll call you and you can talk to him."

"Thanks," London said cheerfully, but not forgetting what Cody had already said, knowing she would just come back to that later, "I love you and I'll talk to you later."

"Love you too," Cody grumbled before hanging up the phone and turning around and heading towards his brother's bedroom.

"What's up?" Zack asked as he answered his door when Cody knocked. He had his phone in one hand, a clear indication that he was talking to Margaret while she was gone for the week. Cody almost rolled his eyes, his brother had already spent two hours on the phone with her this morning.

"London wants to know if you will take Maddie to the charity dinner on Friday," Cody rushed out.

"What?" Zack repeated loudly, forgetting about his phone conversation momentarily.

"I told her you wouldn't agree … and then she asked me why and I panicked and said I would ask you because it was easier than telling her the truth about the fighting," Cody rushed out.

"Hold on," Zack motioned, putting the phone back up to his ear and listening to Margaret on the other side, "Yes, okay honey, I love you."

After this, he hung up and looked back up at his brother and continued, "So, she heard you, and heard me. And wanted to know what my big objection to the whole thing was because if we were really just friends we should be able to pull it off, so I told her okay, and now, guess what? I have to spend the evening with Maddie as my date."

"London will be happy," Cody falsely said as his brother glared at him, "I don't understand why Margaret would push it if she really is suspicious of you and Maddie's friendship."

"I don't really think she's all that suspicious, just curious about our fight really," Zack shrugged, "but, since I have now agreed to this I should probably go and call Maddie and make plans."

"Have fun," Cody called to him as Zack slammed his door shut again. Cody didn't take offense to it, because he knew it wasn't really directed at him.

00000

"Hello?" Maddie answered her cell phone tentatively as she noticed Zack's name on the caller id.

"So, I'm sure you know about London's big plan for me to take you to this dinner, right?" Zack grumpily said, without even a greeting.

"Sorry," Maddie quietly said, "I tried to talk her out of it, but without giving her any details about us actually having a fight, I couldn't really back out. I mean, I could pretend that Jeff didn't want me to go, because I'll have to tell him and odds are he isn't going to like it. By the way, what does Margaret think of this whole thing?"

"She was okay with it," Zack nonchalantly said, "She thinks that if we're truly friends, we'll be okay. Plus, I think she wants us to be back on better terms after that fight."

"You told her about the fight?" Maddie asked, surprised.

"Yeah," Zack shrugged, "I don't hide things from her, I wasn't going to hide something that big."

"I guess I just thought you wouldn't tell her," Maddie laughed, "Well, I'll ask Jeff, and we'll just go from there."

"Sounds good," Zack said, and then after a pause added, "Maddie? I really hope you can go as my friend."

Maddie was taken by surprise at this, but added, "Me too Zack."

After hanging up with him, she immediately began to dial Jeff's phone number, hoping that he didn't pick up so she could just leave him a message and deal with it later. Her hopes were not answered, however, when he picked up on the third ring.

"Hey babe," he greeted, "You're lucky, you caught me just as I was leaving a meeting."

"Hey, I have a question to ask of you," Maddie sweetly said.

"I'm listening," he urged her to continue.

"I was wondering if it would be all right with you if I went to a dinner with London, and Cody, and Zack," Maddie said in a fast tone.

"Why would I care?" Jeff asked, clearly confused.

"Well, because Zack would kind of be my escort, but not in any dating related way, more of a friend needs another friend to accompany them to dinner because both significant others are out of town," Maddie said, in a hurry. She could practically hear Jeff thinking on the other end of the phone.

"I don't think I like that idea," Jeff said slowly, "I mean, if you feel like you had to tell me about it, is there something more going on there?"

"No, it is not like that at all," Maddie hurriedly assured him, "I just wanted you know so that way you wouldn't get mad if you heard about it from someone else. And if you were uncomfortable with me doing that, then I would totally understand."

"Okay," Jeff repeated his slow tone, "I still don't like it, you know what I think of Zack. Especially since he had that huge crush on you."

"It won't be like that," Maddie said, not really sure why she was trying to persuade Jeff so much when she hadn't even wanted to go with Zack in the first place.

"I guess if it is what you really want," Jeff said reluctantly, "just don't do anything stupid. And I'll see you when I get back."

"Thanks, bye," Maddie said, relieved as she hung up the phone. Before she could continue in her relief, her phone rang again, this time it was London.

"So, you're all cleared to go?" London asked enthusiastically as soon as Maddie picked up.

"I'm all set to go," Maddie sighed, "Doesn't anybody make proper greetings anymore?"

"Nope," London cheerfully said, "So, what happened between you and Zack?"

"When? Ten years ago, because you know that story," Maddie asked, pretending to be confused.

"No, as in a week ago," London stated, "I mean, I know I can be clueless, but you two have been acting weird, and then both you and Cody said some things today that makes me think that either you and Zack had some big huge kiss or there was a fight."

"No kissing," Maddie promised, "But we did get into a little bit of a fight. About Jeff and everything else. I think we're all better now though, he genuinely seemed to look forward to this dinner."

"Of course he is," London reassured her, "Because he gets to spend time with his three best friends, who wouldn't like a dinner like that?"

Maddie couldn't help but agree with her friend.


	16. Chapter Fifteen

Disclaimer: I do not own the Suite Life or any of its characters.

Chapter Fifteen

Zack and Cody led Maddie and London to the table in the far corner of the room. London and Maddie were giggling together, while Cody had his arm around his fiancée and Zack was standing a little away from them. Zack could not help but notice how natural it felt for it to just be the four of them hanging out together. They had been laughing the entire way here in the limousine, and here they were, about to have a nice dinner and maybe some dancing later. London always relied on Zack to dance with her because Cody was a terrible dancer so therefore he refused to dance.

"What are you thinking about?" Maddie turned to Zack suddenly, smiling at him. Zack had noticed how gorgeous she looked tonight, with a dress that curved in all the right places and her hair up in a way to show off her facial features.

"Just how cool we all look together," Zack smiled back at her. The fact that Zack looked absolutely stunning in his suit was not lost on her. Maddie couldn't remember a time that she had thought Zack looked so attractive.

"That we do," London chimed her two cents in, looking at the way the two of them were looking at each other. She was beginning to think that maybe it was not such a good idea for her to make Maddie tag along.

"Here we go," Cody quickly said, pulling out a chair for London as Zack pulled out one for Maddie. Cody was weary of what his brother was thinking as he sat down next to him. He knew that he would not want to hurt Margaret, but Cody couldn't remember the last time Zack couldn't take his eyes off of Maddie like he couldn't tonight.

"So what is on the menu for tonight?" Maddie questioned. Zack made a face as Cody and London laughed. Maddie looked confused as to what was so funny.

"They are serving duck," London informed her, "Zack hates duck. Do you remember the last time he was forced to eat duck?"

"You mean the first time he ate duck?" Cody laughed even louder, "he spit it all over the couple at the next table."

"And the guy tried to pick a fight with Zack, but Zack kindly told him that he did not want to have to beat him up," London added. Maddie then looked at Zack with some kind of amazement.

"You know, I'm pretty sure I have heard more embarrassing stories about you than anyone else in my life," Maddie shook her head in amusement.

"Well, there was the time he had to eat the salmon too," Cody recalled. Zack just made a face at his brother.

"As I recall, after the second bite he and his date, Muffy, just spent the rest of the night trying to hit the speaker and various people with pieces of salmon," London reminded her fiancée.

"And then Muffy hit that guy on the back of the head and Zack and him took it outside," Cody finished the story, "of course, Zack won. I actually think it was the same as the duck guy."

"You get in lots of fights," Maddie raised an eyebrow at Zack.

"It's the testosterone thing," Zack flatly said, and then looked at his brother, "but, it's not like I don't have embarrassing stories on those two."

"I can see that this can end in a bad trend," London hastily said, noticing the belligerent look in Zack's eyes, "we'll just stop with the stories now."

"Good idea," Maddie agreed, also noticing the look in Zack's eyes, she then turned to London, "Come on, let's go freshen up before the food gets here."

London nodded and followed her friend out of the room, leaving Zack and Cody at the table by themselves. Cody then turned to his brother.

"Dude, if you stare any harder at Maddie, your eyes are going to fall out," Cody swiftly said.

"I don't know what you are talking about," Zack snapped at him, "Besides, I think the odds of someone's eyes actually falling out are very slim."

"You know what I mean," Cody rolled his eyes, "You don't want to hurt Margaret do you?"

"I'm not going to hurt Margaret," Zack answered, "Maddie and I are just friends. I would never hurt Margaret."

"Whatever," Cody whispered, not believing his brother.

0000

"What are you doing with Zack?" London demanded of Maddie as they entered the bathroom, "He has a girlfriend."

"I am going to a dinner with him," Maddie crossly said, "You were the one who told us we had to do it."

"I know, but you are looking at him like you are seeing him in a whole new light," London rolled her eyes, "He has a girlfriend."

"You have told me that twice now," Maddie snapped at her, "I don't think that I am looking at him any differently."

"Look, you are my best friend, and I wanted you two to end up together, but he's happy with Margaret, so you shouldn't be getting involved at all," London said, with a flounce of her hair and then left the bathroom. Maddie sighed, still thinking that London was wrong and followed her out of the bathroom.

00000

"Let's dance," Maddie stated, pulling Zack to his feet and leading him to the dance floor, "They are driving me crazy."

Cody and London had been staring at the two of them throughout the entire dinner, and Zack and Maddie were uncomfortably eating their duck.

"Well, since I am supposed to be wooing you away," Zack laughed off as the two of them began to slow dance.

"Except, you have a girlfriend," Maddie giggled, "But, you do look nice."

"Thank you, and you look rather nice yourself," Zack complimented, "I am having a good time. Besides, you know, the weirdness."

Cody and London watched the couple dance on the floor before turning to each other.

"What is your brother doing?" London groaned. Cody shook his head.

"I don't know," Cody replied, "He has a girlfriend.""I told Maddie that!" London exclaimed, "but there she is, dancing with him."

"Yeah, and she has a ….," Cody trailed of when he noticed somebody across the room.

Out on the dance floor, Maddie and Zack were still laughing about Margaret.

"I'm sorry that we had a fight about my …," but she trailed off because at the exact same moment that Cody had noticed a person across the room, Maddie had noticed the same person, "I don't believe this."

She quickly dropped her arms to her side and began marching to a particular table. Zack didn't know what was going on, but followed her anyways, very curious as to what was going on. As they approached the table, Cody and London joined them, both looking nervous. Zack was about question them whenever he noticed what they all had already noticed.

"Unbelievable," Maddie angrily said as she stopped at a table. Jeff could hear the sound of a familiar voice and quickly moved away from the girl who he had been lip locked with a minute ago.

"Maddie?" he nervously asked as he noticed not only his girlfriend, but Zack, Cody, and London glaring at him.

"You were supposed to be out of town," she yelled. She vaguely noticed that people were beginning to stare at her.

"Look, I can explain," Jeff hastily said.

"Let's hear it," Maddie plopped herself down in a chair. The girl with Jeff was looking between the two of them confused.

"Well, see, we never officially declared our relationship to be a closed one," Jeff reluctantly said, noticing the look that Zack was fixing him with, "And you are here with Zack. It's the same thing."

"You knew that I was coming with Zack as a friend. And you got mad at me for it. Yet, you are here with some girl and practically sucking her face off," Maddie stood up, grabbing a nearby glass of water and throwing it in his face, "I defended you Jeff. I defended you against everybody. Zack, London, Cody. And yet, here you are, proving all of them right."

"Maddie …," Jeff called after her as she began to storm off, starting to go after her before Zack stepped in his way.

"You're done," Zack stiffly told him, crossing his arms.

"You can't stop me from going after her," Jeff protested, "She is my girlfriend, not yours. No matter how much you may wish she was."

"Jeff … you are no longer her boyfriend," Zack simply said.

"Move out of my way," Jeff tried to shove him, but Zack swung back and punched him in the face, causing him to fall. As everybody around them gasped, Zack turned around to walk away.

"I'm going to go take Maddie home," he informed Cody and London as he walked away. He left both of them staring after him and Jeff still on the ground.


	17. Chapter Sixteen

Disclaimer: I do not own Suite Life of Zack and Cody, or any of its characters.

Chapter Sixteen

Maddie sat silently beside Zack in the taxi ride back to her apartment. Zack was afraid to say anything because he did not want her to get mad at him. He couldn't help but think if he had been a better friend, Maddie would not have been in this mess because he would have somehow found a way to stop her from seeing such a jerk.

"Thanks for hitting him," Maddie said quietly after the silence had stretched on long enough.

"You saw that?" Zack asked, surprised.

"Yeah," a small smile began playing at her lips, "You were so serious. I'm lucky to have a friend like you. I should have listened to you in the first place. You and London."

"Don't beat yourself up," Zack chided her, "He's the one who cheated, not you, you have nothing to feel bad about. You were just sucked into his world."

"I just can't believe he got so mad about me going to a dinner with you if he was going to be the one actually cheating," Maddie gave a dry laugh, "Nothing was going to happen between us."

"Yeah, well, our history doesn't always suggest that at least my feelings are strictly friendly," Zack shrugged.

Maddie didn't know how to respond, so instead she changed the subject, "so tell me an embarrassing story about Cody."

"What about London?" Zack inquired, trying to think of a good enough story to embarrass his brother.

"Oh, I already have plenty on London," Maddie assured him, with a laugh.

"True," Zack agreed, "Okay, so you know how Cody doesn't dance right? Well, a few months ago we were at another one of these dinners and London drags Cody onto the dance floor, absolutely terrifying him. She told him to do whatever kind of dance he could. You know what the only two dance moves my brother knows are?"

"What?" Maddie asked, in amusement.

"Disco … and the worm," Zack shook his head, "So, he breaks out the disco pointing finger move, and then decides to move to the worm. Well, he never worked out his worm too well and ended up hitting a bunch of the guests while he was on the ground. Including some guy who was hitting on London. The guy got so mad, he dragged Cody outside."

"Oh no, did Cody get beat up?" Maddie asked.

"No, London saved him because she hit the guy over the head with her shoe," Zack laughed. Maddie laughed along with him until she went into silence when she realized that they had arrived at her apartment. Zack got out to walk her up to the door, opening her door for her.

"Zack … I have a favor to ask of you," Maddie said quietly after Zack was finished paying the cab driver.

"Go ahead," Zack asked, concerned for his newly vulnerable friend.

"I … I really don't feel like being alone right now," Maddie said uncertainly, "will you walk around the block with me a couple of times?"

"Sure," Zack agreed, not knowing if there was any harm in giving his friend a couple more minute's before she had to go face the loneliness in her apartment. He knew how she felt, he had been there many times. He offered Maddie his coat as the two began to walk around the block.

"I love New York," Maddie smiled, "It's like you can do anything you want here, as long as you put your mind to it."

"And you want to be an art curator?" Zack asked her, amused.

"Well, I'd like to sing, like in an off Broadway play or something," Maddie said, an amused smile on her face, "but, I don't think that will ever happen."

"Why?" Zack demanded to know, "You have a great voice? Do you remember when we put on High School Musical?"

"That was a disaster," Maddie rolled her eyes.

"But you were great," Zack insisted, "If it is your dream, then I think you should go for it and don't let anything like fear stop you."

"And what are your dreams?" Maddie asked him, deciding to change the subject now.

"Well, I already have a successful business, and a great brother, who is getting married to a good girl. And then I have some pretty awesome friends," Zack listed off all the things he could think of that he wanted, but then added, "I guess I would like to get married myself and have children. Just imagine how much fun it would be to know that there was someone that would be there for the rest of your life and you would be there for them to?"

"You are not Zack Martin," Maddie mused.

"Oh, I still am," Zack assured her, "What if I told you that even though that might be nice, it will never happen for me."

"And why not?" Maddie asked, getting ready to chide him for not following his dream.

"Because, come on, really, me? In a long term monogamous relationship?" Zack pointed out, "It won't happen. I mean, I want to be able to walk down the street and see a cute girl and ask her, 'Hey, do you want to get a drink sometime?'"

"And how does Margaret feel about this?" Maddie asked, even though it felt weird to even bring Margaret up. For a moment there it had felt like her and Zack were the only two people who actually mattered.

"Um, we haven't really talked about marriage," Zack admitted, "but, she does know that I am the classic bachelor type."

"I don't believe you," Maddie shook her head, "I don't believe you are the classic bachelor type. You just gave this beautiful talk about how nice it would be to have a wife and kids. Bachelors don't like to discuss that kind of stuff."

"I guess we'll just see how it goes," Zack said, ignoring her comment, but then adding, "but, honestly, I think if anybody could make me a married man, it would be her."

"I think I'm ready to go home now," Maddie whispered to him. The two began to walk back towards her apartment, "Can you believe in two months we'll all be back in Boston to celebrate Cody and London's wedding?"

"No," Zack laughed, "Mom always come to visit us, not the other way around. She'll be happy to see us in the Tipton again."

"And Mr. Moseby, I assume he'll be there," Maddie laughed, "I think he was always more of a father to London than her own was."

"And Arwen. And my father and Esteban. It will be like old times," Zack shook his head.

"Somehow I doubt your childish antics will be as well accepted now," Maddie pointed out to him.

"Well, except for the bachelor party, I already have a wild and chaotic night planned," Zack grinned. Maddie rolled her eyes at him.

"Just make sure it is not too wild, you know how Cody really is," Maddie reminded him, "Save the true wildness for your own bachelor party."

"You ruin all the fun," Zack shook his head as they arrived at her apartment building, "I guess this is your stop."

"Sure looks like it," Maddie agreed, "Zack, thanks for bringing me back tonight."

"Thanks for letting me," Zack gave her a grin, "I will happily hit him anytime. Or any guy that does that to you actually."

"I know," Maddie laughed at his enthusiasm, giving him a hug good night. She stepped back after the hug, and looking at him with that half-cocked smile and a genuine look of concern on his face, she began to lean forward as to kiss him. For a moment, Zack looked like he was ready to kiss her back before he drew away.

"What are you doing?" he demanded to know.

"Well, I was going to kiss you," Maddie looked confused.

"Yeah, and by you kissing me, I would have become exactly the kind of person that you hated Jeff for being," Zack shook his head, "I am in a relationship."

"But, you were being so nice to me," Maddie protested.

"Because you were my friend," Zack shook his head, "I can't be that guy. And I don't want to be that guy. I'm sorry Maddie."

With those words, Zack walked away, leaving a stunned Maddie behind. Maddie's eyes began to well up. She didn't know what made her madder. The fact that Zack had rejected her. Or the fact that she had wanted him to cheat on Margaret with her. She was disgusted with herself.

Zack was just as disgusted with himself. He had tried to be a friend to Maddie, and then there she was trying to kiss him. It had almost happened. He had almost let it happen. No matter how vulnerable Maddie had looked, Zack was in a relationship. And he couldn't also help but think, what could Maddie possibly have been thinking?


	18. Chapter Seventeen

Disclaimer: I do not own Suite Life of Zack and Cody, or any of its characters.

Chapter Seventeen

"You don't think they are going to do anything stupid, do you?" London asked Cody nervously as they settled down on his couch to watch a movie after they had left the dinner, "We shouldn't have let them leave the dinner together."

"Well, Zack seemed pretty adamant about his commitment to Margaret," Cody tried to reassure her, "plus, with everything that had just happened, I am sure Maddie will not be trying to make Zack be a cheater."

"Maybe you are right, but …," London began to argue, but before she could finish her discussion, both her and Cody's cell phones began to ring. London looked confused at the name on her caller id before flipping it open and answering, "Hello?"

"Hey London, its Zack, are you with my brother right now?" Zack asked, in almost a whisper. London looked up at Cody who mouthed that Maddie was on the other end of his phone, and she mouthed back that she was talking to Zack.

"Hold on," London instructed, walking into Cody's bedroom so she could have a private conversation with Zack, "What is going on?"

"Maddie almost kissed me," Zack said in a hurry, "And I didn't want to call Cody because he would tell me that he told me so, so I had to call somebody …,"

"Relax Zack," London told him, "Why don't I meet you at the coffee shop down the road from where you live, and we can discuss it then."

"Sounds good," Zack let out a sigh of relief, "Just, don't tell Cody anything."

"I promise," London assured him, hanging up the phone and walking into the living room to see Cody hanging up the phone too.

"Maddie ..," Cody started, but London finished it for him.

"Almost kissed Zack?" London took a guess, "I have to go, I'm meeting Zack at the coffee place."

"We can take a cab together, I'm going over to Maddie's apartment," Cody told her. The two grabbed their coats and began walking out the door, before Cody stopped and turned around to look at London, "Is it not funny that they still chose to call us, even if it was the reverse of what they usually do? Zack could have called Tapeworm, Bob, George … and yet ..,"

"He chose to call me?" London ventured a guess, "It is pretty amusing. I guess they figure that they can count on us."

"Which is a good thing," Cody agreed, as he began to walk again, "I wonder what stopped them from kissing."

"I don't know," London frowned, "We didn't get that far in our conversation either, maybe they finally realized what they were doing."

"Yeah, but did you see the look on Zack's face whenever he saw Jeff with that other girl?" Cody asked his fiancée, "It was more than a 'I'm mad because my friend is hurting' kind of face, it was more like a 'I'm mad because the boyfriend of the girl I'm secretly in love with is cheating on her' kind of face."

London didn't respond, but she knew exactly what he meant.

"Hey London," Zack said as he entered the coffee shop, looking extremely worn out. London smiled before handing him a cup of coffee which he gratefully took, "Thank you for meeting me here."

"Come on, you know I would do anything for you soon to be brother-in-law," London replied. Zack gave out a long sigh before getting down to the subject.

"I really love Margaret, you know?" Zack told her. London just nodded her head, so Zack continued, "And then, with Maddie , it felt like my second chance had been given to me, but when she was leaning in, with that vulnerable look on her face like she was going to kiss me, all I could think about was how it wasn't right."

"Which, by the way is a very good thought," London commended him, "So, what exactly led up to this moment of an almost kiss?"

"She did not want to be alone whenever we got to her apartment, so I agreed to take a walk with her and we just got to talking and all of the nights events must have caught up with her, because when we got to the door she was giving me that look," Zack sighed.

"What look are we talking about here?" London asked, confused.

"The look that says, 'I just realized how much I want to kiss you at this moment. You know, the look that Cody gave you before he kissed you the first time," Zack tried to explain. London understood and just gave him a slow nod.

"But, you turned her down," London reminded him.

"I know, but I just hope that I wasn't sending her that same look," Zack sighed, "Because if I was, I never meant to."

And London believed him.

99999

Cody knocked on Maddie's door, curious as to what was going on. Maddie opened it in a hurry, dragging him into the apartment. He could see red around her eyes, a clear indication that she had been crying. He knew his brother had always had a strong effect on girls, and he just hoped Maddie would be okay.

"I'm so glad you came," she tried to give him a smile as she took the coffee pot off and began to pour them both some coffee.

"You know I'm always here for you," he smiled at her.

"I can't believe I was so stupid," Maddie sighed after taking a long drink of her coffee, "All I could think about was the fact that even though Jeff cheated on me and broke my heart, Zack was standing right in front of me, being Zack like he always was. He tried to protect me before Jeff hurt me, and he even protected me after Jeff hurt me. And then I go and ruin our friendship by trying to kiss him."

"I'm sure that you were just upset about Jeff," Cody tried to go easy on her.

"It is not just that," Maddie sighed, "he was giving me that look."

"What look are we talking about?" Cody asked her, slightly confused.

"The look like I am totally in love with someone," Maddie sighed, "I knew it was for Margaret because we had just gotten done talking about her, but I remember when he used to look at me with that look. I always knew what that look meant. And it just hurt that it wasn't directed at me anymore. I'm so selfish."

"You shouldn't feel worried about this," Cody informed her, "it's good that he has moved on. If you never really liked him, then he deserves someone better."

"I should have just told him then," Maddie muttered, "I really should have told him that I did like him."

"But, you didn't like him," Cody was confused again.

"That's what I said," Maddie desperately told him, trying to make him understand, "That is what I said to him. To you. To London. Even to Margaret when I was telling her the story. But, I don't think I ever believed myself."

"Wait, you liked him? Why would you turn him down if you liked him?" Cody asked, in a slightly appalled tone.

"Because … he was three years younger," Maddie sighed, "How many college seniors date college freshmen?"

"I don't think I can even respond to that," Cody muttered under his breath. Maddie sighed, knowing that the reasoning came out a little snobbish.

"But, that wasn't all," Maddie tried again, "He was so immature. I thought that by being with him, he wouldn't grow. He would still be stuck with the hotel and his way of being then. Don't you see that he did grow up? I just thought that I would be around after it happened."

"And then he shut you out," Cody finished the story with a shake of his head, "I just wish you would have told him then. He's happy now."

"I know he's happy now," Maddie whispered, "He's better off without me."

"He's not better off without you," Cody tried to assure her, "Maybe you should just talk to him. Tell him the truth about the situation."

"Oh, you mean tell him that I lied to him all those years ago and I really wish I would have said yes to go on at least one date with him so I could have the right to kiss him without him freaking out?" Maddie narrowed her eyes at the suggestion.

"Or just tell him that it was a mistake tonight," Cody informed her, "because you know just as well as I do that you made a mistake. No matter how much you may care for him, you can't become the kind of person who wants a guy to cheat on his girlfriend."

"You are absolutely right," Maddie smiled at him, "I will talk to him."

Cody smiled at her, just hoping that he had done the right thing.


	19. Chapter Eighteen

Disclaimer: I do not own Suite Life of Zack and Cody, or any of its characters.

Chapter Eighteen

Zack woke up the morning after the party and thought about rolling over and not getting out of bed today. Last night had been full of drama. So much drama that he had not had this much since he was in high school. Drama sure could take a lot out of the guy. Not to mention the fact that even after he was done talking about it, he had dreamed about it. About Margaret and about Maddie. He did not remember any specifics of his dream, but he did remember that the two of them were in there. 

"Hey Zack," Cody greeted after Zack reluctantly got out of bed and headed towards the kitchen. Zack grunted in response. In just a month, the two would be flying to Boston for Cody and London's wedding. After that, Zack would no longer be roommates with his brother, something they had been ever since they had graduated college. Zack wasn't sure how it was going to be in New York City without his brother right there in the same apartment, "You look well."

Zack still didn't respond as he made a cup of coffee. Before Cody could say anything farther they heard the doorbell ring and Cody jumped up to go answer it. He knew that it was probably Maddie, who when he had left at about two o'clock in the morning was still going on about Zack and about stupid she had been, both the day of his high school graduation and last night. He seriously doubted that she had gotten any sleep last night.

"Hey Cody," she greeted with a trembling smile as he let her in the door. He could tell he was right by the way that she looked. She was still wearing sweat pants and had her hair thrown up in a very messy pony tail.

"He's in there," Cody said gently before walking out the door. He knew that he shouldn't be here for this conversation. Wherever it was going.

"Good morning," Maddie greeted softly as she entered the kitchen. Zack, who was standing over the sink jumped at the sound of her voice but turned around with a half smile on his face.

"You're here early," he stated, "Have a seat."

"We need to talk," Maddie sighed. It was ironic that the last time she had said these words it had led her and Zack into a big fight about Jeff and now here there second talk was still coming about, indirectly because of Jeff. The two had made a lot of conversations these last couple of months, but Maddie knew that this one would be the most important. She already knew what she was going to say. She had outlined it last night when she was unable to sleep.

"I should not have sent you the signal that I wanted to kiss you," Zack blurted out to her, not letting her get the first words in. He still felt as if the whole thing was his fault, hoping that he had really not sent her the look like he wanted to kiss her, "It was wrong and I hope that you can forgive me for that."

"You weren't in the wrong," Maddie looked at him with surprise on her face, "It was my fault. I knew you were in love with Margaret, but I just wanted you to look at me like you used to when you were in high school."

"I think we were both in the wrong," Zack sighed, finally sitting down next to her and giving her a genuine smile, "I think the whole night was in the wrong. I gave you the wrong impression, you … well, you almost …,"

"Kissed you?" Maddie gave him a small smile in return for his own, even though she really did not feel like smiling, "I am sorry."

"You were hurting over Jeff," Zack shrugged, "It is understandable."

"It is not that simple," Maddie sighed, looking anywhere but making eye contact with Zack, who she knew must be staring very intently at her now. She gave out a sigh before finally meeting his gaze, his gaze that held so many questions that she knew she could never answer for him. Questions that she was not even sure that she knew the answers to herself. But questions she knew she was going to have to address today if her solution to this was going to work at all.

"What do you mean?" Zack finally asked her, quietly. She continued to gaze at him, and this time he was the one not to make eye contact. She knew that now that she had started this, she had to tell him at least part of the truth. The part were she wanted him. She wanted him now.

"Zack … I like you," Maddie blurted out, "And I wish I could tell you that I am willing to step aside for Margaret so that the two of you can be happy together. I wish I could say that I will bury my feelings deep so that we can still be friends even though you are happy with Margaret. But, it is not true. When I realized how much I hurt you whenever you graduated from high school, when George described to me the pain that you felt, I decided that I never wanted to make anybody feel that way again. And that does include me."

"What are you saying Maddie?" Zack asked, a hint of sadness and fear laced into his voice. It sounded like Maddie was giving him an ultimatum. And not exactly an ultimatum that he wanted to make a choice of. Abandon his girlfriend to be with Maddie, or give up Maddie's friendship, something he had just recently gained back? He knew which he would choose, but did he really have to make such a decision?

"I'm sorry," Maddie's words came out with a sob, "But, every time I see you with her, I feel nauseous. I used to think it was just because you got to spend more time with her than I did with Jeff, and you seemed to have it so much more together, but that was not the truth. That was never the truth. I only felt that way because of you. Because that is what I wanted with you. I cannot spend the rest of my life feeling that way every time I am around you and Margaret."

"I …," he started, then stopped, and then started again, "You know I can't. I love Margaret. If the circumstances had been different, if the timing had been different than this. If you had felt the same way for me as I did for you all those years ago. If I wasn't so involved with a really great girl right now. Maddie, sometimes when I think about it, it really still hurts me. I don't want to hurt you, but I ..,"

"You love Margaret," Maddie said in a soft voice, "And I understand. I really do. I just do not think that we can be friends anymore."

"So, that's it, all or nothing?" Zack asked, in a small voice. He was now beginning to feel somewhat angry. How could she practically walk into his life and demand his friendship and then tell him that if she couldn't be with him, she didn't want to be his friend anymore. Was that not the same thing that she had gotten angry with him about after his high school graduation?

"That's it," she nodded, "And since it isn't all, it must be nothing. I will see you around though. I mean, we are both going to London and Cody's wedding, so I will definitely see you then."

"That's a month away!" Zack protested, "I don't want to lose you as a friend."

Maddie could not respond to him. She knew that she had been too late when she had been talking to Cody about this yesterday. She knew that she should have told Zack that night when he first confessed. Now she was going to have to live with the consequences. Consequences that she had lived with for ten 

years, and even though it hurt right now, she hoped that without Zack she could move on with her life. Move on like he had so many years ago.

Maddie then got up and slowly walked out the door, half expecting Zack to follow her. As soon as she reached the other side of the door she leaned up against the wall of the apartment building and allowed tears to come down her face as she whispered, "Bye Zack."

Zack was inside his apartment, glued to his seat, still trying to figure out what was going on when he gave a sad smile to the place where Maddie had been sitting earlier and quietly said, "Good bye Maddie."


	20. Chapter Nineteen

Disclaimer: I do not own Suite Life of Zack and Cody, or any of its characters.

Chapter Nineteen

Zack smiled in the mirror as he finished getting ready. They had all arrived last night at the Tipton in Boston, they including Cody, London, Margaret, Maddie, Tapeworm, Bob, Max, and George, and also Zack. Zack, Cody, and Margaret were staying in the hotel room with their mother, the same hotel room they had lived in for much of their pre-teen and teenage years. London, of course, had the best suite to herself, well, she had it until she volunteered to let Maddie stay with her. Tapeworm, Bob, and George got another hotel room in the Tipton, while Max was just staying at her parent's house. 

Zack was very excited about tonight. He had been planning Cody's bachelor party since he could remember. He knew that he had to take into consideration things that Cody would actually like, instead of just thinking about the beer and dancing he would have liked. But, he knew that all of the boys were going to be having fun. Not to mention the fact that while this was going on, the girls were going to be holding their bachelorette party. Zack was amused by the thought of Maddie planning London a bachelorette party. He had not heard any of the details, however, because he and Maddie had only talked to exchange pleasantries in the last month.

"Are you ready to go?" Zack hollered to his brother as he left the bathroom. Cody emerged from their room with a grin on his face.

"Now, this isn't going to be your style of a bachelor party, is it?" Cody asked wearily as he followed his brother out the door, "I mean, I don't mind the drinking, but anything else may be a bit too much for me."

"You should have no worries, I have catered exclusively to what you like," Zack assured him.

000000

"London, are you almost ready?" Maddie called out annoyed as she answered the door to find a nervous looking Margaret and Max on the other side. She had never been close to Max, and her and Margaret had drifted apart, especially since Maddie had quit her job at the museum, "London's not ready yet. Come on in."

Some of London's friends who were flying in from around the world would be joining them at the club later, so it was just the four of them until then. Maddie had not had much say in what was going on at the bachelor party, London had pretty much planned it for her and told her to pretend that she had done it herself. It was going to be a pretty wild night with limousines, alcohol, and dancing until really late in the morning. She was really hoping that Cody's bachelor party would be more fun for the guys than this party was going to be for her.

"Are you guys ready to go?" London asked cheerily, as if she hadn't been the one holding everybody up as she emerged from the bathroom. The others nodded, following her to the door.

999999

Cody was glad that Zack had somewhat heeded his warning about not making it too wild. So far they were out at dinner, which did get pretty wild with this crowd. Besides the few that had flown in from New York, Esteban and a couple of other friends from high school had joined them. The boys had already started to drink, much to Cody's amusement considering it was his bachelor party and he was the one who should be getting very drunk.

"Come on Cody, drink," Bob laughed, and then stood up, ignoring the other people in the restaurant looking at him, "I would like to propose a toast to the first one of us to finally get married. May you and London have a nice, long marriage."

The others raised their glasses and clinked them together while Tapeworm forced Bob down when he noticed all of the people staring at them. Bob still did not seem to notice as he downed his drink, calling for another one. Zack looked at his brother in amusement.

"Please tell me that somewhere along the way the drinking stops," Cody almost begged his brother, but with more amusement than actual pleading in his voice. Zack shook his head at his brother before finishing off his own drink.

"You have got to have more confidence in me bro," Zack informed him, picking up the bill that the boys had managed to accrue at the restaurant.

9999

Maddie and Max sat at the table, watching all of their friends dance wildly out on the floor. Max laughed at them silently for a while before turning to Maddie with a curious expression on her face. Maddie and Max had never been close, so she wasn't sure if she should ask Maddie these personal questions that she was dying to ask.

"I told him that I liked him," Maddie did not even wait for the questioning, "I told him that it was either all or nothing. And he chose Margaret. Like I knew he would."

Max looked out at the girl on the dance floor, wildly dancing around and barely containing the amount of alcohol she had managed to drink. Max didn't really have anything against the girl, but if she got to choice a girl for Zack, it would most definitely be Maddie. But, then again if she had gotten her choice of girls for Cody, it would not have been London and they seemed perfectly happy together.

"I can't believe they are getting married," Max said hesitantly, knowing of Maddie's close friendship with London. Heck, the only reason Max was here and was going to be a bridesmaid was because of her friendship with the boys, but she knew that London must have thrown a fit when Cody insisted on having her as one of the bridesmaids.

"I think they will be good for each other," Maddie stated, "Opposites attract. They balance each other out. They definitely need that."

"I guess," Max said, looking totally unconvinced, but then a sly smile came over her face, "You and Zack are pretty opposite of each other. He and Margaret have a lot of the same characteristics."

"It's not me that you have to try and convince," Maddie reminded her, "It would be him that needs the convincing."

Before Max could say anymore, London stumbled over to them with a wide smile on her face, "Tomorrow I will be Mrs. Cody Martin. I am marrying someone three years younger than myself, and I couldn't care less!"

"Really?" Max asked her with a smile on her face, "Are you sure?"

"That boy is so sweet and so cute," London said with a giggle, "It is a wonder that I never realized this when we were at the hotel together. Wait, that did not come out right. But, you know what I mean. It'll be like a dream come true."

The two girls shook their heads at London's craziness before London grabbed their hands and began to pull them out on the dance floor, "Come on! You two are the best dancers here. You can't sit out the whole night."

Max and Maddie looked at each other and shrugged. They then decided not to let the rest of the night go to waste by sitting themselves out. Besides, they really were the best dancers here.

99999

Cody laughed as his brother brought him another round of popcorn. Instead of going clubbing or anything else that Zack might have liked, he had rented out a huge TV and video game system so the boys could play video games. Cody knew this made him seem like a big geek, but this was the most exciting time he could have had at his bachelor party. Especially since everybody else seemed to be having fun too.

"Do you remember the first time Cody asked London out?" Bob was asking Tapeworm as they battled to the death.

"He was so nervous, I thought he was going to sweat right through his shirt," Zack popped in from his position on the couch, watching the rest play their games.

"I'm sure she would have said yes then," Tapeworm laughed. Cody stuck his tongue out at all of his friends. In reality, he was glad that they were teasing him about this relationship because it did mean that they approved. Sure, it was a little late if they didn't, but he was still glad to hear it from them.

"Oh, and remember when he couldn't figure out what to buy her for their one year anniversary?" Zack laughed, "And he tried to buy her that awful orange sweater."

"The one with the beads?" Bob chimed in.

"Hey, it was a classic sweater," Cody defended himself.

"And by classic, do you mean old?" Zack raised an eyebrow at him, "I think your relationship would have been over if you would have given that to her. And instead, here you are, spending your last night as a free man. Are you ready for tomorrow?"

And Cody knew that he truly was.


	21. Chapter Twenty

Disclaimer: I do not own Suite Life of Zack and Cody, or any of its characters.

Chapter Twenty

London adjusted her wedding dress one last time, checked to make sure her hair was perfect and finally turned around and gave Maddie a great, but nervous smile. Maddie did not know whether to cry or laugh at the sight of her best friend in a wedding gown. She would never have imagined London getting married and settling down before her. Yet, here she was with all the calm serenity that a bride could possibly have on her wedding day. Max and the other bridesmaid had gone to go talk to Zack and Tapeworm about something, leaving the two best friends in the room alone.

"I can't believe this is actually happening," London looked at herself in the mirror, "I didn't think I could possibly love someone as much as I love that boy."

"And he loves you," Maddie said, tears starting to choke up her eyes, "London, I am going to miss you."

"Oh honey," London said, giving her a hug, tears streaming down her face even as she said, "I'm not going anywhere. I'm just going to be with my husband."

"It just feels so unreal," Maddie laughed. Just then, Mr. Moseby came to the door and knocked lightly.

"Are you ready to go madam?" Mr. Moseby asked her, his eyes shining as bright as if London was his own daughter. She quickly gave him a hug and began to follow him out the door, Maddie hurrying to catch up.

00000

Cody looked at his reflection in the mirror one last time before turning to his brother with the biggest smile on his face that Zack had ever seen. Max and Laura, the other bridesmaid, had come to talk to Zack and Tapeworm about something, but Zack had sent Bob instead so that he could talk to his brother alone. He looked at his brother with pride, knowing that he would make an excellent husband to London, but he was also sad because they would not be room mates anymore.

"I can't believe this is actually happening," Cody's words mirrored that of his fiancée's, "I didn't think I could possibly love someone as much as I love that girl."

"I can't believe she actually loves you," Zack teased, but then he got serious, "I am really happy for you man. You deserve this."

"How are my boys doing?" Cary asked as she walked into the room, her eyes filled with tears as she saw her two grown-up boys.

"We're doing fine mom," Zack gave her a quick hug. Cody also gave her a hug, a hug that she did not want to let go on.

"I can't believe my baby is actually getting married," she tried not to cry, "I remember when you were four …,"

"Mom," Cody interrupted her, "Maybe we should save the stories until after the wedding. You don't want me crying before the wedding starts, now do you?"

His mom laughed, both boys offered their mom their arms and escorted her out the door and towards the room were Cody and London were to be married.

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Maddie finished walking down the aisle and gave a smile to everybody as the bridal march started to play. She watched as all of the guests stood up, waiting to see the bride. She glanced over at Cody and saw the look of pure delight on his face as his bride made her way down the aisle, Mr. Moseby escorting 

her. As soon as she reached the platform and Moseby gave her away, Cary began singing her song. Cody gave a smile to his mom before looking at the beautiful bride.

"I love you," he whispered to her. She gave him a big smile.

"And I love you," she whispered back.

Zack smiled at the words, and looked in the audience to find Margaret smiling up at him. However, her gaze went from him to Maddie. When her gaze shifted, he glanced over at Maddie, and noticed that she seemed to be looking at him. Margaret had not really known what had happened between him and Maddie, but from the look on her face, he was going to have to explain it very clearly now.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of these two souls, Cody Martin and London Tipton," the priest began. Cody took one last look at the audience, his dad, his mom, both crying, Moseby, also crying, Esteban and Arwen were out there, along with so many more people. Here to help them celebrate the best day of their lives.

00000

Zack whispered something in Margaret's ear before getting up to make his best man toast. The reception was going great, the cake had been cut, the pictures had all been taken, and now here they were just laughing and dancing around. He went up to the front and smiled at the crowd, who were all looking up at him expectantly.

"As most of you know, I am the more charming, better looking, and older twin brother of the groom, but I would still like to say a few words of acknowledgment to Cody and London," Zack said, everybody smiling at the description of himself, "When Cody first told me that he was going to take London out on a date, the first thing I could remember thinking was why? The second thing was that I couldn't believe London had actually agreed to it. Cody and London were as different as night and day. They still are. Yet, watching this couple grow, I feel as if I am a better person. Cody offers London a stability that she has never really received in her life. London gives Cody a sense of fun that he has always buried for work and other things to make himself successful. To Cody, the greatest twin a guy could have. To London, a girl with a heart of gold that is worth ten times more than her fortune. And to the couple that I am proud to say I know."

Everybody cheered and looked around for Maddie expectantly. She hurriedly made her way to the stage with a grin on her face.

"I don't think I have as great of a speech as Zack," Maddie laughed, "But, I have been friends with both Cody and London for a very long time. I, like Zack, was shocked when I first heard about their budding romance. However, to see Cody care for the heiress like I had never seen anyone else care, it made me realize that they did belong together. I have never seen Cody loosen up and smile as much as he does when she is with him. To you two as a couple, may you have a good marriage and I hope that I can be there to see all of the joys and the triumphs, and even be there for the tears and hardships."

As she stepped down, the crowd began to roar with applause for the happy couple. Cody and London stood up together.

"We would like to thank our two best friends for wonderful speeches," Cody said, "And thank all of you for coming. I think we are about ready to make the rounds and see all of our guest face to face."

"And if we don't get to you, come find us, because we really do not want to leave anyone out," London laughed, "So, we'll talk to you soon."



Cody's mom and dad were the first people on their stop. They were sitting at a table with all the rest of the gang from the Tipton hotel. Each of them smiled at them and gave them each a hug.

"You found yourself a keeper," his dad told him, "I'm sure you will be happy together."

Everybody at the table nodded their head in agreements. Before they could continue on with the tables, Zack came over to them and whispered in Cody's ear, who gave a little laugh. The three headed back towards the front of the ballroom.

"It seems that our bride and groom have forgot to take their own dance," Zack announced, "So, they will back with you shortly after they do this."

As Cody and London smiled at each other, arms wrapped around each other and swayed to the music, Zack went to put his arm around Margaret, who still looked quite put out from the look she had seen Maddie give Zack earlier. He decided that after this dance he would talk to her.

"This is the best wedding I could possibly have imagined," London whispered to Cody on the dance floor, "I can't wait until our honeymoon."

"I just can't wait until the rest of our lives," Cody smiled at her, leaning in and giving her a kiss as they continued to make their way across the dance floor, feeling like the only two people in the entire world.


	22. Chapter TwentyOne

Disclaimer: I do not own Suite Life of Zack and Cody, or any of its characters.

Chapter Twenty-One

Maddie laughed as her and Esteban danced around the floor. She looked around to see if she could find Zack anywhere, but she had not been able to locate him, or Margaret, since he had announced that Cody and London were doing their marriage dance. She had decided that she didn't want to worry about it too much, so instead she would have some fun and hopefully find Zack later. She felt like she needed to talk to him about some things that had been said the last time that they had talked. She had not changed her mind about being his friend, but she felt like she left it off in a really bad way. Not to mention the fact that she was sure Margaret was catching onto Maddie's feelings for Zack by the way that she was looking at her during the wedding.

"You seem to be very distracted," Esteban informed her, in his normal accent. He gave her a smile to show that he was not offended by her not paying attention to him, even though she was dancing with him.

"Sorry," she gave out another quick laugh, this one a little forced, "Just thinking about something."

"Would that something happen to be a someone?" Esteban said, rather insightfully, "And a little blonde person? Because if that is who it is, he and that girlfriend of his went out of here a couple of minutes ago, a very serious look on her face indeed."

"Thanks," Maddie said, surprised that Esteban could have known what she was thinking. Was she really that transparent? Or was Esteban more insightful than anybody had ever given him credit for? She soon realized she was back to drifting off in thought and not really paying attention to the boy leading her around the dance floor. She shook her head slightly and began to dance around with him again.

00000

"We need to talk," Margaret had whispered to him as soon as he had finished announcing Cody and London's dance. He knew better than to try and disobey her, so Zack followed Margaret out into the hallway, where no one was because they were all enjoying the festivities. The two sat on the couches, looking at each other. Zack was determined not to speak first, so waited for his girlfriend to say something.

"What exactly happened between you and Maddie?" she chose her words carefully, not wanting to accuse him of anything, but also wanting to get to the bottom of things. He did not seem guilty enough to be accused of actually cheating, but he still did look plenty guilty, "You two are on the fast track to becoming good friends again, and then after I get back, you are no longer speaking. And then she quits her job at the museum."

"She quit her job?" Zack asked in surprise. He did not mean to evade the first question, but the question popped out before he knew what he was saying. He could tell by the look on her face that she wasn't happy about his evading the question.

"You didn't know that?" Margaret was also surprised, "She got a role in an off-Broadway production and quit her job at the museum. It was a big shock. Maddie did not even tell me, she was just gone one day and the owner of the museum filled me in. Whatever happened between you two definitely had a bad effect on my long-standing friendship with her. I deserve to know."

Zack couldn't help but smile a little bit before realizing that the expression on Margaret's face was not going to go away until he explained himself for ruining both of their friendships with Maddie, "I'm sorry. 

She told me that she wanted to be with me. And that it was all or nothing. When I refused to be with her, she just left."

"And what led up to this?" Margaret knew she wasn't getting the whole story. Zack was always surprised by her ability to read him like a book. He knew he had never been very good at hiding his emotions, but he had been good at lying when the opportunity came up.

"She almost kissed me," Zack bluntly told her. Margaret flinched as if Zack had hit her. However, the pain that had come over her face was quickly replaced with a sad expression. She also began to look really mad, so Zack attempted to defend himself, "We didn't kiss though! I promise. I stopped it before she actually did it. And she was only sad because she had just caught Jeff cheating on her."

"What made her want to kiss you?" Margaret attempted to get the full story out of him. She knew about the Jeff cheating thing, Zack had filled her in on those details, but he seemed to have left the biggest events of the night out of the conversation.

Zack couldn't hold it back anymore and began to tell her all the details of what had happened between him and Maddie, Margaret sitting there like stone as she waited for him to finish. When she was done, Margaret gave out a small sigh. Zack could not decide if it was an angry or miserable sigh, but he guessed that it was a combination of both.

"So, you are the reason that she quit her job at the museum," Margaret summarized. Zack wondered why she had chosen that as her first argument against the whole night. It was definitely not the first thing that he had been expecting.

"No, I mean, I just encouraged her to go after her dream," Zack protested, "It wasn't anything like that at all. She encouraged me to go after my dreams too."

"I just am not sure what to say to that," Margaret shook her head, "What am I supposed to say to the fact that you almost kissed the girl that you were in love with in high school?"

"Nothing, because we didn't kiss, I stopped it," Zack said, trying to draw her to the positive part of the exchange with Maddie. He knew that there were not many positive points in it, so he was focusing on the only one that he could come up with off the top of his mind.

"But you wanted to," Margaret whispered, standing up, as if she was going to leave. Zack stood up and stopped her. He had a sense of panic coming over him. Something that was telling him that he did not do something now, he would lose Margaret forever.

"I might have wanted to, but I did choose you," Zack said. He was practically pleading with her to understand his situation.

"For now," Margaret sighed, tears were streaming down her face as she said the words that she knew she should have said a long time ago, "You chose me for now over the girl that you were in love with in high school. The girl that you quit talking to because it pained you so much to be friends with her, that is the girl that you picked me over."

"Exactly," Zack said, smiling at her. He wanted to smile at her the way that he always did at Maddie, "I chose you. The girl who will go out and eat pepperoni pizza at me. The girl that makes fun of my ego, but still loves every bit of me. The girl who came to Boston with me for my brother's wedding. The girl who made herself fit in with a group of friends that it is normally hard to fit into. I chose you."

"I cannot compete with her," Margaret laughed, a laugh that was verging on panic. Zack found the sight disturbing, especially considering that she was still crying while laughing, "You belong with here. You think you want me now, but in the future, it will be bad for both of us for, you to be in this relationship."



"Margaret …," Zack tried to stop her, but she was already going out the door. He was willing himself to walk after her, but something rooted him to the spot. She did turn around one final time.

"I know that you feel like you chose me because you love me more," she quietly told him, "I know that. But, you don't belong with me. It just took Maddie a while to figure it out, and I think now that she has it figured out, you should be with her. You chose me out of loyalty and hurt from your high school days. I admire that you wouldn't cheat on me. I really do. I still love you and don't worry, I don't hold this against you."

Zack did not even try and stop her this time. He just stood by and let her walk away. He knew that she was right.


	23. Chapter Twenty Two

Disclaimer: I do not own Suite Life of Zack and Cody, or any of its characters.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Zack sat on the same bench that he had sat on many years ago when he was confessing his feelings to Maddie. While sitting on this bench, he was still thinking about those feelings. Maddie had confessed her love for him, and he had turned her down because he thought he had something great with Margaret. Margaret had seen right through everything though and had dumped him, and now he was wondering how he was ever going to approach Maddie about this. But, before he could figure out the right time, Maddie slowly approached him like she had done so many years ago.

"Where's Margaret?" she asked shyly as she sat down by him on the bench.

"She left," he said shortly, "She told me that I was just trying to fool myself and be honorable."

Maddie could not think of anything to say at the moment, but then Zack turned to her and opened his mouth.

"I quit my job," she offered. He shut his mouth again.

"I heard," he softly said.

"You were right," she shrugged, "I should have been pursuing what I really wanted with my life. Thank you very much."

"Maddie, I think she was right," Zack admitted, suddenly interrupting her. Before he could continue, Maddie silenced him with a shake of the head.

"Zack, there is something I have to tell you," Maddie gave him a sad smile, "All those years ago? I really did like you."

"But ….," Zack started, then stopped, opened his mouth again, stopped himself again and then finally blurted out, "What?"

"I really did like you," Maddie repeated.

"You said, and I quote 'I just can't return the feelings you have for me'," Zack reminded her, "I remember quite well. I was there."

"I know I said that," Maddie protested, "I never said I didn't. I just did not mean that."

"Then why would you say that?" Zack demanded to know. He was feeling hurt that she had not told him all those years ago. Then ten years of his life would not have been wasted not talking to her. He would have never met Margaret because he would have been happy with Maddie. And this could be his wedding instead of his brother's. He was feeling a little excited that she was saying that she had always returned these feelings, but he was pushing that feeling down a little deeper.

"Because, you were three years younger than me," Maddie sighed, "And because you were not mature enough to handle a real relationship."

"I told you I loved you!" Zack angrily exclaimed, "How is that immature?"

"Come on Zack," Maddie explained to him, "You were graduating from high school, you never did any work in high school. You always pretended you were too cool for it. And you were going to a community college with no future in mind."

"My future was going to be with you," Zack softly said.

"I know," she responded kindly, "And that is why I could not be with you. You would base your whole life around our relationship. You would move with me wherever, not once thinking about your own career. I needed you to strong, independent guy who could do something with himself."

"So I would not have been myself if I would have been with you?" Zack bitingly asked her.

"Zack," Maddie tried to calm him down, knowing that her explanation was not going well, "Look how ell you have done for yourself without me. Can you really tell me that you would have done so well if I had been in your life?"

"You could have given me the chance," Zack reminded her, "You were trying to decide what was best for my life and not let me decide. Yes, I probably would not have been as successful while I was with you, but only in monetary gains only. The reason I studied so much was because I just wanted to get you off of my mind. I was never really happy though, I dated many girls, the only one of which I really cared about was Margaret. That wasn't happy. Is that the kind of guy you want? Someone who is afraid to be in a relationship?"

"This is all messed up," Maddie buried her head in her hands. She did not want to go down this path anymore. Zack let out a sigh, feeling exasperated as well, but also hopeful.

"I think it is good for us to get this out," he gently told her, removing her hands and lacing his fingers through one of them. She looked up at him with a smile on her face.

"Why?" she asked, curious.

"Because if anything is ever going to happen about us, it is good for us to get it out in the open now and not harbor it all inside," Zack told her solemnly, "If this happens between us, I really want it to happen between us. I want us to be the next Cody and London."

"Just without as big of a wedding," Maddie agreed, smiling up at him. She knew that Zack did not really need a big wedding, and neither did she.

"Agreed," Zack said, leaning in closer to Maddie and giving her a small kiss.

"Is that all you got Martin?" Maddie joked around. Zack laughed before pulling her into his arms.

"No, it is definitely not," he shook his head at her, "But, we have the rest of our lives for the rest of it."

"That we do," she responded, smiling up at him.

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"What are you doing?" a gruff voice spoke up, waking Maddie and Zack up. They quickly jumped up, realizing that they had fallen asleep while sitting on the park bench. The source of the voice came from the police officer who was now demanding that they answer the question.

"I'm sorry sir," Maddie truthfully said, looking very embarrassed. Zack and Maddie did not look at each other as they tried to also avoid looking at the police officer.

"You cannot sleep on the park bench," he forcefully told them.

"No, see, we actually have rooms in that nice hotel over there," Zack tried to explain, pointing at the Tipton, "We were just talking and accidentally fell asleep."

The officer still looked as if he did not believe that they actually had comfortable rooms somewhere and choosing to sleep on a park bench.

"No sir, it is true," Maddie said, hopefully. The man looked at them suspiciously.

"Why don't we go and see if these people know you?" the police officer said to them. Maddie and Zack looked at each other, and both knew what the other was thinking. What a great way to start their new relationship, by showing everybody that they had almost got arrested.

"Okay," Zack reluctantly said. The two followed the police officer across the street and into the hotel. As soon as they walked into the ballroom, everybody turned and looked at them.

"What are you doing?" Cody asked in amusement as him and London walked over to the group.

"Do these people belong with you?" the officer asked them gruffly. Cody looked at Maddie with surprise because even though Zack often got in trouble that nobody else could imagine, Maddie was usually not one to embark on such journeys with police officers involved.

"That is my maid of honor, and he is the best man," London assured the police officer. He gave another questioning look at the pair before walking out the door, shaking his head.

"What were you two thinking?" Cody asked, even though a smile was playing on his face.

"We were tired," Zack shrugged.

"And you were taking a nap together?" London wiggled her eyes suggestively. That was the first time that Zack and Maddie realized that it was not just Cody and London looking at them, but the entire ballroom full of people.

"So, this is awkward," Zack whispered to Maddie as they looked around at all the people.

"I think I'm going to go …," Maddie suddenly brightened up, "I mean, I know I am really tired, so I think I should definitely go get some sleep."

"Me too," Zack jumped in, wanting to leave the wedding so he would not have to deal with the questioning alone, "Thanks for all the fun times at the wedding. "

"What is going on between you two?" Cody hissed at him as he and his bride followed the pair out into the hallway, looking very curious. Zack turned around and gave his brother an infuriating smile.

"You know what?" Zack said calmly, "It is your wedding, we don't want to take your spotlight. We'll tell you after you get back from your honeymoon."

Cody and London didn't say anything more as they watched their friends, who they had hoped would get together for many years, walk towards the elevator, hand in hand.


End file.
